The Light Meets the Darkness
by Pigfarts My Arse
Summary: Nemo Ledger is the daughter of Iris, the rainbow goddess. After being taken to Camp Half-Blood, she is immediately placed in the group for the quest to save Annabeth and defeat the mysterious 'frost'. Jaycee Carter, Connor Stoll, Percy Jackson, and let's not forget about Nico di Angelo. On the quest, they'll find Romans demigods, angry Egyptian gods, and an unfinished prophecy.
1. Nemo Goes to Camp

The Light Meets the Darkness

Summary: Nemo Ledger's a weird girl. She doesn't have a lot of friends, besides Fern Sagewood and Jaycee Carter. But her world turns upside down when she's intercepted at school by a monster, and Jaycee and Fern take her to Camp Half-Blood, where she discovers that she's a demigod. That's not possible, right? But things get even harder when she becomes enemies with Nico di Angelo, son of Hades. She's a daughter of Iris. She's not drawn to death. But will a quest change that?

* * *

I was running as fast as I could, following the tunnels and trying to find my way out.

Of course, I wasn't succeeding, letting myself get into a dead end.

Now, you're all probably wondering who I am and what's going on, and well, let me get to that part, so shut up and keep reading!

My name is Nemo Ledger. No, NOT Naomi, or some stupid nickname. My legal name is Nemo Faye Ledger, and I live in New York City. Yeah, Manhattan, New York.

Anyways, I'm running from something. I don't quite know what, but all I know is that I'm running from something. I can hear him speaking in my head, and I'm scared for my life. I turn right and get caught in a dead end. I turned around, hoping that I had a good enough lead to keep running away, but I don't.

Instead, I find myself looking into a pair of red eyes, and I screamed.

And that's when I woke up.

* * *

I sat up abruptly, just minutes before my alarm clock for school's supposed to go off. I groan and unplug the digital clock out of the wall, just so I don't have to listen to it being really annoying.

I grabbed my brush and started brushing my unruly curls, but they wouldn't budge. Sighing, I tied my long red hair with yellow, green, blue, and purple highlights into a French braid, which I can't do on other people but only to myself. Weird, I know.

I looked into the mirror to stare once again at my eyes. They were golden with green specks, and most people assumed that they were contacts. But they're not. I don't need glasses, but I need my colorful braces to fix my crooked teeth.

"_I gotta, gotta, gotta pocket fulla sunshine—"_ I picked up my phone and answered the call.

"Hello?" I spoke. I'm fourteen, and I've gone through the growing part of puberty, but my voice is still high-pitched and dreamy sounding, kind of like Luna Lovegood's voice from Harry Potter.

"Hey, Nemo!" I smiled when I heard Jaycee's voice come on over the phone. "What's up, girl?" I laughed and pressed the speak button so I could get dressed, because knowing Jaycee, she would just keep talking my ear off.

"I'm trying to decide if I should wear my purple flowery button up shirt today with the white skirt we got or the red and pink tie-dyed jean shorts with the rips and the black boots we got at Steve Madden last week." I said, and Jaycee laughed.

"Wear the purple shirt with the jean shorts and the boots!" Jaycee exclaimed, and I gasped.

"And then I could wear that one blazer we got at American Eagle that goes with that one white strapless dress I got!" I almost squealed, but then calmed myself.

"Yeah, you totally should!" Jaycee said, and she hung up so we could both get dressed. Today Jaycee's boyfriend from her camp was gonna come visit the school and I couldn't wait to meet him.

As I grabbed my rainbow tie-dyed backpack from my closet hook, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck standing up as the room started to get cold.

"Stupid air conditioner." I said, and closed the door to my room as I left the house, getting ready to walk to Goode High School.

* * *

"Hey, Jay." I said, poking her shoulder, and she whirled around.

"Sorry, Nemo." Jaycee said. "I thought it was someone else." She looked almost scared, and then I shook myself mentally. Jaycee Carter does not get scared. She even said so herself.

"So when am I going to meet this boyfriend of yours, Jayce?" I asked, smiling, and she smiled at me, and then her face lit up at the sight of someone behind me.

"Right now!" Jaycee said, and she moved past me to hug a tall guy with a tan and light brown hair. His eyes looked mischievous as he hugged Jaycee, and he smiled at me crookedly after they had hugged. "Connor, this is my best friend, Nemo Ledger. Nemo, this is Connor Stoll, my boyfriend." I held out my hand and he shook it, but he got shocked by my ring.

"Ouch!" He said, stepping back, and I smirked at him.

"I forgot to mention, Connor, but Nemo taught me all of the pranking tricks I know. She's like, the pranking master!" Jaycee said, and I twisted my ring back around so the charm was revealed on my finger. It was a silver moon that shined silver in the moonlight, and I cherished it. Jaycee's cousin's cousin Thalia gave it to me for my birthday.

"She hasn't seen mine and Travis' pranks yet, Jay." Connor said, and I rolled my eyes.

"Oh please!" I said, and I smirked. "I bet that I can pull off an awesome prank on you before you can pull one on me. And even if you get yours to work on me before mine works on you, you'll be amazed at how awesome my prank is!" I said, and Connor's face contorted as he went deep into thought.

"Fine." Connor said, and he smirked. "I'll give you ten drac-dollars if you can prank me better than I can prank you."

"Twenty." I said, not backing down.

"Fine." Connor said, and Fern came up behind him.

"Hey Jay, hey Nemo!" Fern waved, and she smiled at Connor. "Sup, Stoll?" I looked shocked and turned to Jaycee, who just mouthed 'camp'. I nodded. Just then the bell rang.

"Time for English!" I said. Everyone groaned, but I held up a hand. "Who's up for some Greek mythology?"

* * *

"Now, what was Artemis the goddess of..." Mr. Harrison looked around and threw the bouncy ball at Connor. "Mr. Stoll, correct?" Connor nodded his head, and he spoke.

"Artemis is the goddess of the moon, eternal maidenhood, and she was also a virgin goddess, swearing off love after the nasty and cruel thing Odysseus did to her." Connor shook her head, and Jaycee looked down too. I also noticed Fern, Oliver Shane, and Will Solace all looking down too, like they were sympathizing for Artemis.

"Very good!" Mr. Harrison said, reaching his hands up for the ball, and Connor threw the ball back to him. "Now, Mr. Shane." Mr. Harrison threw the ball to Oliver, and he dropped it, and while the class was snickering, picked it back up. "Who was Apollo the god of?" Jaycee, Will, and Oliver were all now smiling for some odd reason, and Oliver spoke.

"He is the god of music, medicine, prophecies, the sun, and poetry." Oliver then stood up.

"Oh dear gods, really Oliver?" Jaycee yelled, and he held his hands up.

"Hold everything!" Oliver said loudly, and both Jaycee and Will groaned. Hm, they must know each other from camp.

"_Sitting in English,_

_Learning about Ancient Greece,_

_Connor, don't you dare!"_ Oliver finished, and he glared at Connor, who looked down sheepishly and put something in his pocket.

"Nice, Mr. Shane." Mr. Harrison said, getting his bouncy ball back, and he sat on the desk. "Now, minor gods. Who can tell me who... Iris is?" He asked, and my hand shot up. "Nemo." For some reason he always called me and Jaycee by our first names, but nobody else.

"Iris is the messenger goddess, where people can use rainbows to communicate to others as long as they have a drachma to pay with, and she is also the goddess of rainbows and light." I blurted, and then I put on a confused expression, because I didn't know that first part before.

"Correct!" Mr. Harrison said, and then he looked me in the eye.

"_How did you know that, Nemo?"_ He asked me, and I shrugged.

"_I'm not quite sure. It just came out of me, I guess."_ I replied, and everyone except for Fern, Mr. Harrison, and a kid I didn't see coming in before looked at me funny. And then I saw the kid.

Nico di Angelo. My worst nightmare.

Oh man, every time you pass by Nico di Angelo, you just feel icky. Like you're dying or something. I've seen people squirm when they are around him, but I've seen a few kids that acknowledge him some. Like Jaycee, Will, Oliver, Thalia, Jaycee's cousin Percy, and Percy's girlfriend Annabeth. It was really weird. And what I can't understand is the fact that he's in my classes. I'm only a freshman, fourteen years old, and just wanting school to be over in a week already, and he's a junior, sixteen years old of pure sexy.

Wait, what?

"Good job, Ms. Ledger." Mr. Harrison said, and as I threw the ball at him, I noticed something interesting about him.

Mr. Harrison's brown eyes were flickering to one giant brown eye, and then they would go back. It kept alternating like this, but really fast, so the effect looked like a light going out or not plugged in all the way. I looked over to Jaycee and Connor, where they sat staring at each other, which I thought was gross.

"Hey, Jay." I said, and she snapped out of it.

"Yeah, Nemo?" Jaycee asked, and I sighed, not really sure how to put this.

"Um, is it just me, or does it look like Mr. Harrison's eyes are flickering between two eyes and one?" I asked quietly while Mr. Harrison was asking Ethan Kent about Hercules, and Jaycee immediately sat up, looking at our English teacher with wide eyes.

"Connor, he's the monster we've been looking for." Jaycee whispered to Connor, probably forgetting that I was in hearing range, or probably not caring. Connor looked over her shoulder and his eyes widened.

"Holy Zeus, what's he doing here?" Connor whispered frantically, and he got Will's attention from across the room. Connor spoke softly in some weird language, and Will nodded, turning to Oliver, who was right next to him. Only then did I notice that they looked related, and looking back at Jaycee, I saw that she looked like their sister.

"Hold everything!" Oliver almost screamed, and everyone turned towards him, their eyebrows raised. I had expected Will, Connor, Fern, and Jaycee to groan again, but they were looking at him intently.

"_Cyclops run around,_

_Trap him and save the light fast,_

_Get back to Camp NOW!"_ Oliver shouted the word now, and Jaycee, Will, and Connor all sprang up, holding something in their hands. Connor and Will had a sword, and Jaycee was holding a bow and arrow. Oliver held up two daggers, and when I looked back at Nico, he just turned to me, winked, and then stepped into a shadow, disappearing.

What in Gods' name was happening?

"As if you silly demigods could stop me!" Mr. Harrison said, laughing evilly, and Jaycee smirked.

"You'll never get her!" She shouted, and he looked at me with his giant one eye.

"Oh, but I can." Mr. Harrison said, smiling in a way I didn't like, and continued. "He will want her."

"Who will want Nemo?" Will shouted, and I sat up. Who wanted me?

"The frost." Mr. Harrison said in a 'duh' tone, but clearly none of the standing kids with weapons understood. "I bet your little pony will explain once I send you all back to your little precious camp in a matchbox!" That's when I snapped.

"Go away!" I screamed, and there was a blinding light. Instead of seeing the classroom with no Mr. Harrison, I was standing on a grassy hill with Connor, Jaycee, Will, Oliver, and Fern all knocked out unconscious.

"What the Hades?" I asked, not knowing where the Hades part came from, but I had heard Jaycee saying it, so I had picked it up (because she's my BFF, duh!) from hanging out with her too much.

"Hello, you must be Nemo Ledger. I'm Chiron." I turned around to find the source of the voice, and looked into the face of a man. But my smile at him disappeared when I looked down to find that he didn't have human legs, but the ass of a horse. "Welcome to Camp Half-Blood."

And you know what I did next? I did the rational thing, of course. The thing that anybody like me would do in this situation.

I fainted.

* * *

**So, is it good so far? This story is a collab with **Teenaged Author**, formerly known as **pjoroxs**. Now I know that my name is **epic LEMON HEAD**, but I'm not going to be writing about Lemonade Mouth forever, peeps! So anyways, I hope you like this chapter and my new camper Nemo Ledger, and be excited for the next chapter, because there will probably some Connor and Jaycee in it!**

**So use your mouse and click on the button down there that says 'REVIEW', and make me and J.C. happy, m'k? Good!**

_**~*N.L*~**_


	2. Jaycee Has a Bad Day

The Light Meets the Darkness

Summary: Nemo Ledger's a weird girl. She doesn't have a lot of friends, besides Fern Sagewood and Jaycee Carter. But her world turns upside down when she's intercepted at school by a monster, and Jaycee and Fern take her to Camp Half-Blood, where she discovers that she's a demigod. That's not possible, right? But things get even harder when she becomes enemies with Nico di Angelo, son of Hades. She's a daughter of Iris. She's not drawn to death. But will a quest change that?

* * *

**A/N: Hey, here's the second chapter! And what my friend**epic LEMON HEAD **didn't explain was that the chapters alternate from Nemo and Jaycee's P.O.V's. I hope you enjoy the story!**

* * *

CHAPTER 2

* * *

When I woke up that morning, I was practically jumping out of bed. Connor Stoll, one-of-my-partners-in-crime and also my boyfriend, would be coming for a visit to Goode today. So I was overjoyed, naturally.

I looked at myself in the mirror, deciding that it was useless to try and even brush it. Dark, chocolate brown eyes stared at me, the golden flecks in my eyes seemed to be popping today, flashing and glowing.

I grabbed my cell off the dresser and dialed my best friend, Nemo's number.

"Hello?" Came the high-pitched and dream-like voice of my best friend. I had to restrain myself from calling her Luna Lovegood.

"Hey, Nemo!" I said excitedly. I could feel she was smiling. "What's up, girl?"

"I'm trying to decide if I should wear my purple flowery button up shirt today with the white skirt we got or the red and pink tie-dyed jean shorts with the rips and the black boots we got at Steve Madden last week." She said, and I laughed. I was no fashion expert, but a close friend of mine was, and I'd picked up a thing or two.

I imagined the two outfits in my head then exclaimed, "Wear the purple shirt with the jean shorts and the boots!"

"And then I could wear that one blazer we got at American Eagle that goes with that one white strapless dress I got!" She was nearly squealing by now. I smiled into the phone as my mom hollered through the apartment, telling me to hurry it up.

"Yeah, you totally should!" I said as my mom started pounding on my door. I said a quick 'Later' before hanging up the phone and yelling at my mom, "I'm hurrying! Gods!"

I could hear the irritation from her already. She was born and raised Christian and she didn't like the fact that I was the child of a _different_god. She really just needed to face the facts of life.

"Don't say that in this household!" She yelled before storming away. I mumbled under my breath, "It isn't your household. You're only visiting!"

* * *

I stood in front of Goode High, waiting nervously. I knew monsters could attack at any moment, especially with a son of Hermes coming for a day. I hugged my jacket closer to me, one hand on my pendant that would change into my bow at a moment's notice.

I could feel the breeze biting against my skin through the rips in my jeans. I had put on boot cut ripped jeans and my Camp T-shirt, since we planned on heading to camp (hopefully) with Nemo after school.

Someone poked my shoulder and I spun around as fast as I could, anticipating a monster.

"Sorry, Nemo," I said calmly, relaxing my tense muscles the slightest bit. Nerves racked through my body, and my brain stayed on high alert. "I thought it was someone else."

"So when am I going to meet this boyfriend of yours, Jayce?" She smiled, and I smiled back. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him. My face must've lit up like a Christmas tree because Nemo looked like she might've laughed.

"Right now!" I moved past her and ran to give Connor a hug. I would've given him a kiss, but then I wouldn't hear the end of it from Nemo. And then I'd get annoyed. And bad things happen to people who annoy me.

* * *

English was definitely at its weirdest today. Nothing seemed….right. I kept glancing around the room nervously, expecting a random monster to come out of nowhere and attack.

"Now, what was Artemis the goddess of…?" Mr. Harrison asked, tossing the bouncy ball to Connor. "Mr. Stoll, correct?"

"Artemis is the goddess of the moon, eternal maidenhood, and she was also a virgin goddess, swearing off love after the nasty and cruel thing Odysseus did to her." He shook his head and I looked down. It was just _wrong_. After some strange looks from my classmates, Mr. Harrison continued to toss the ball to my half-brother Oliver, who happened to be obsessed with Haikus.

"Very good! Now Mr. Shane, who was Apollo the god of?" Will, Oliver, and I all shared a look and smiled. I could feel Nemo's gaze and I could practically read her mind. _Why is she smiling? Oddball. _Ha! She thought _I _was the odd one out. She had no idea.

"He is the god of music, medicine, prophecies, the sun, and poetry." Oliver then stood.

"Oh, dear gods, really Oliver?" I complained. His haikus are worse than Apollo's (and that's saying something)! But despite my protest, he held up his hands like our dad and said, "Hold everything!"

He continued on with his lame Haiku that I won't bother you with, and looked at a sheepish looking Connor with a smile. I just loved my boyfriend.

We continued to stare at each other, identical smiles on our faces, until Nemo seemed to feel the need to interrupt.

"Hey, Jay," She said sounding nervous. I reluctantly turned to look at her.

"Yeah, Nemo?"

"Um, is it just me, or does it look like Mr. Harrison's eyes are flickering between two eyes and one?" She said, glancing nervously at the teacher. After that the whole thing was a blur with another haiku.

Before I knew what was going on, I had my bow out, an arrow notched and ready to fire.

But something weird-even weirder than usual, that is-happened and I went out cold.

* * *

When I came too, my head was resting on Connor's chest; my bow lay next to me, glittering in the sun. As I looked at it, it shimmered and I felt my always worn pendent around my neck once more.

My brain felt as though it was going to explode and my heart was racing like it was in a marathon. That Cyclops attack at the school couldn't have done that, I was high on adrenaline, ready to take that guy back to Tartarus where he belonged.

A groan escaped Connor's lips, and he stirred, starting to sit up then deciding it was a bad idea.

"My head….what happened? I didn't get thrown into a wall again, did I?" He asked, searching his head for the bump.

"I….don't know. It was like we were there….then we were here."

"Where is here? I don't think my eyes will take the bright light without burning."

I was able to sit up and open my eyes long enough to get my bearings. I looked from the Big House to the canoe lake to the array of cabins.

"Connor," I breathed, blinking my eyes to make sure I wasn't seeing anything.

"Mmmm…."

"We're back at Camp."

He sat bolt upright. "What?"

"You heard me, Joker. We're back at Camp Half-Blood."

He opened his eyes, only to shield them from the bright light of the sun—something I was immune to, unless it was Apollo coming towards us—and he looked at the people who lay in the grass around us.

"It looks as if everybody…passed out?"

I got up from my spot and went around to everyone.

"They're all out cold. May be a while until they wake up at all. Maybe with a little—"

"Wait. They won't be up for how long, exactly?"

"I don't know, maybe thirty minutes? An hour? Why?"

"Well, it'd give me time to get my prank on Nemo going," He smiled like he had something else on his mind, "or….."

"Connor, she'll probably think _this,_" I motioned to Camp Half-Blood, "is the prank you're pulling."

"Don't you wanna know what my 'or….' was?" He asked, feigning hurt.

I rolled my eyes. "Sure Connor, what was your other idea?"

"We could go someplace and-"

But he'd never get to finish that thought, because Nico chose then to pop out of the shadows.

"What happened to you guys?" Connor sighed and kicked at the grass, remaining silent, but staring intently at the son of Hades, hoping he'd get the message, cause me? I sure as Hades did, and started to blush furiously.

"Oh. Was I interrupting something?" Nico asked innocently with a smile. "Was it planning pranks or, you know, about to use a cheesy line then go make out somewhere where you could be alone for a while?"

I was blushing like crazy now; I was sure my whole face was red. I punched the boy in the gut.

"Can you stop that?" I demanded, placing my hands on my hips, using my reddened face to make it look more like I was furious rather than embarrassed.

"Man, you hit _hard!_" Nico groaned. I rolled my eyes and stepped over Will and walked towards Nemo. She seemed to also be out cold, but it was different. I knew from when I first saw her that she was the demigod we were looking for, and since I went to school there anyway, I was chosen to get her to camp along with a very special tree nymph named Fern. I placed a hand on her forehead. She was warm. Burning, even.

"C'mon, we better get them further inside the borders. Nemo's burning up," I announced, picking her up and putting her arm over my shoulders and my arm around her, having her lean into me for support. Connor grabbed Oliver the Haiku Idiot and dragged him down the rest of the hill.

Connor dropped Oliver off at the infirmary while I took Nemo to the Big House, where Chiron and Mr. D were playing pinochle on the porch.

"Chiron!" I called. Chiron looked up, as did Mr. D, but as Chiron smiled, Mr. D scowled. But I knew Mr. D cared deep, _deep _down. Somewhere.

"Ah, yes, Jaycee. I see you found her alright. Please, let's place her inside the house." I nodded to Mr. D before following Chiron-who played his winning hand to win the game-into the Big House.

"Set her down over there, child. I assume you know what to do?" He asked. I nodded and fished around for a little ambrosia.

"Chiron?" I asked as the centaur was about to leave.

"Yes, child?" He responded kindly.

"Do you know what happened?"

"It's all in the light's power."

He left, leaving me to stare at my best friend, some ambrosia in my hand.

* * *

I was in the middle of feeding Nemo some ambrosia when her eyes fluttered.

"Wha….Jayce?" She said hoarsely.

"Nemo! You're alright!" I leaned down and pulled her into a hug, which was something I didn't do often, but the girl had me worried for a minute!

"But you're….never scared," She tried for a laugh. I smiled.

"No, I'm not. Never. But I didn't say I never worried! Gods, Nemo!" I had slipped into demigod speak so much she just got used to it. "Chiron!" I hollered out the door, "She's awake! You may want to be the person to tell her."

Chiron came rolling in on his wheelchair, hiding his horse half in the magical box. He liked to be in human form on first encounters and since Nemo only just came back to the land of the living, I'm pretty sure he didn't want to scare her back to the Underworld.

"It is nice to see you awake, my dear. Jaycee, you may go. I must speak with Nemo alone."

I was hesitant to leave my best friend, but this was Chiron, and I knew I could trust him. _But still!_

"Are you sure?" I blurted before I could stop myself. Chiron gave me a look and I nodded. "As you wish, sir. I think Connor wanted to talk to me anyway."

I hurried out of the sick room and went to go look for Connor. No use lying to the old horse, he sees through everything, and I was pretty sure Connor wanted to see me but I wasn't as sure with the whole 'talking' part.

Stop looking at me like that! It may not be what _you _think I'm talking about! But I can't read your mind, so….

* * *

I found Connor with his brother Travis outside the Hades Cabin. I walked as quiet as a mouse as I approached the two.

They were peering through the window, obviously in the middle of pranking Nico.

"What's up guys?" I whispered, making them both jump.

"Jeez! You have _got_to stop doing that!" Travis complained.

"You should be used to it by now," I answered, smirking. "So, what'd you do to the Hades Cabin?"

"We painted the inside—" Connor started.

"—some pretty and bright colors." Travis continued.

"Cause Nico doesn't like bright colors."

I nodded. "Course!"

* * *

Of course when Nico found out it was the Stoll brothers, they both got badly hurt, and I was left to tend to their wounds and bruises.

"Ow! Ow, Ow, Ow, OW!" Travis whined.

"Stop being a wuss!" I said.

"Can you give me a kiss to make me feel better?" Connor smiled and I laughed.

"That wasn't cheesy at all," I rolled my eyes but gave him a kiss anyway. Of course, him being Connor, he pulled me closer and we were making out in front of Travis, who gagged in the background.

"Not in front of me, little brother! It's awfully _disturbing_!"

I pulled away from Connor and he said, "Yes, because when you and Katie are making out I don't feel the least bit disturbed."

Travis glared but said, "Touché."

* * *

**A/N: So, how'd you all like it? Reviews are definitely appreciated! Like cookies!**

_**~*J.C*~**_


	3. Daughter of Iris

**I hoped you guys liked the first two chapters, because here's a new one! Of course, it's in Nemo's POV again.**

* * *

Jaycee had just left me in the Big House, as she called it, and I turned to Chiron.

"Well, for starters, welcome to Camp Half-Blood." Chiron said. "Now, please don't faint again." I laughed at that, and he smiled, seeing that I was more comfortable with this.

"What did the Cyclops back at school mean by demigod?" I asked, and he sighed.

"Well, it means one of your parents is a mortal human." Chiron started, and I frowned.

"And my other parent?" I asked. "I mean, I have a stepmom and a real dad, so who's my mom?"

"Well, we don't quite know that yet." Chiron said. "But she's a Greek goddess." I tilted my head, and then everything started to make sense.

"Then if Oliver is a son of Apollo, then why is he so bad at making haikus?" I asked, and Chiron laughed.

"We have no idea." He said. "But to tell the truth, Apollo's not that great either."

"But when will I find out?" I asked, and Chiron shrugged.

"Who knows?" He said, and I sat back.

"So everything Greek mythology is not actually mythology, but people think it is?" I asked, and Chiron nodded. "That makes sense. My bus driver has ram horns, a Cyclops tried to mug me a week ago, and a guy in my gym class is a satyr. He's probably known around here, his name's Grover Underwood?" I said, ending with a sentence that sounded like a question, and Chiron nodded.

"He's very well known at Camp Half-Blood." Chiron said, and I nodded, standing up out of bed.

"Now I've got to find a place to stay." I said.

"I'll have to take you to the Hermes cabin for now." Chiron said, and I must have looked confused, because he followed that with, "It's where our unclaimed campers stay until they've been claimed." I nodded in understanding, and then as we were passing through the Big House, I was stopped by a pudgy man wearing a tracksuit (not like he ever used it to run in).

"Chiron, what's Iris doing here? Shouldn't she be in Olympus creating more stupid rainbows." The man asked, and Chiron frowned. I opened my mouth to tell him that rainbows WERE NOT stupid, but Chiron cut me off.

"This is our newest camper, Mr. D. Her name is Nemo Ledger." Chiron spoke up, and Mr. D frowned.

"I could've sworn it was Iris—oh, there's her symbol now." Mr. D said, looking above my head, and I looked up to see a rainbow floating above my head before the breeze from the open window blew it away.

"Welcome to camp, Nemo, daughter of Iris." Chiron said, and he bowed to me. Mr. D stood there just looking intently at me.

"Very well then, Nemo." Mr. D said. "Get to Cabin #19 before dinner starts so you can meet the other Iris campers." Mr. D then turned away, and I smelled wine from his tracksuit. Mr. D was the god Dionysus.

"Go to the sword arena over there—" Chiron pointed to a building close by. "—and get Percy Jackson to show you to your cabin. And you are the only Iris camper we have, so it'll be a little lonely, but I think you'll manage fine in there." I nodded, and then sprinted for the sword arena.

* * *

As soon as I entered the arena, I spotted Percy sitting on the bleachers twirling a ballpoint pen in his fingers.

Now you ask, how do I know Percy? Well, the answer is simple. He's Jaycee's step-cousin who lives super close by, so I know him pretty well.

"Perce!" I shouted over the sword clanging, and he looked up from his hands. Immediately his face lit up.

"Faye!" He said, and I rolled my eyes, but gave him a big hug.

"Why do you insist on calling me by my middle name?" I said once I had pulled away, and he shrugged.

"It's cool and unique. Like your name. I love Finding Nemo!" Percy said excitedly, and I groaned, but took his hand and led him outside.

"I need you to take me to Cabin #19." I said, and Percy frowned.

"But that's the Iris cabin." Percy said. "Nobody lives there, because Iris is a virgin goddess."

"Well, let's see." I said. "I'm standing here, so clearly Iris is NOT a virgin goddess. Or maybe I sprouted from a rainbow." Percy joined me in laughing, and then we stopped in front of a small white cabin with wind chimes hanging from the roof.

"This is the Iris cabin." Percy said, and I opened the door, stepping inside. There was a full size bed on one side and a fountain on the other. There was a closet—already filled with my clothes—and a dresser, also filled with my clothes when I checked it.

"I'm gonna have to add my own touch to it." I said, and Percy nodded.

"Dinner's in thirty minutes, so just... Stay here, and come to the mess hall when the conch sounds." I nodded to Percy, and he left me in my new cabin. I sat on my bed listening to my iPod until I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I shot up and turned around to see Nico di Angelo standing behind me, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Who are you and what are you doing in here?" Nico asked, and I sighed.

"First of all, my name is Nemo Ledger, and I'm in your English class at Goode High School." I said, and his eyebrows rose.

"Now that I think about it, you do look familiar." Nico said, and I rolled my eyes.

"Second, I'm the sole daughter of Iris." I said. "Sons of Hades don't belong in here, no matter how hot they are." I slipped, but I kept my cool façade as Nico looked at me quizzically.

"But Iris is a—"

"A virgin goddess, yes I know that already!" I snapped, and Nico held up his hands like he was innocent, but of course, I knew better than to think that.

"Calm down." Nico said, and he opened his mouth to say something more, but the conch rang, and I fixed my jacket.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm going to dinner." I said, and with that, I turned my heel and walked out of the cabin, leaving behind a very confused (and yes, I'll admit it Jaycee, sexy) son of Hades.

* * *

I had to sit at the Apollo table because Iris was the goddess of rainbows and light, and so that was suddenly a good excuse to sit at another god's table.

"I wonder what Mr. D's gonna mess your name up to this time." Jaycee whispered, and I snickered, because Jaycee was—in Mr. D's eyes—Jaclyn Champagne.

"I'm wondering that too." I said. "What will my name be messed up to—Nessa Lavender?" I asked, and we both laughed. Chiron then called everybody for attention, and Mr. D started to talk after everyone was quiet.

"We will be having Capture the Flag this Friday, same teams, but Iris cabin combined with Apollo." He started, and everyone started whispering. Apparently I'm popular. "Second, the Hunters will be visiting next week, so do your best to win." Apparently we lost to the Hunters of Artemis every time at Capture the Flag. "And thirdly, we have a new camper here, a daughter of Iris. Her name is Nemo Ledger." Jaycee, me, and probably the rest of camp froze. I saw that Chiron also had a confused expression on his face, probably ready to correct my name, but he didn't need to.

"Did he just NOT mess up your name?" Jaycee asked quietly, and I shrugged. Apparently this wasn't supposed to happen either.

"That is all." Mr. D said, and he sat down to eat food, most likely grapes and Diet Coke (rumor has it it's alcohol for him).

"If Mr. D didn't mess up your name, then there must be something special about you." Jaycee said, and I looked back at her, and then Mr. D again. We made eye contact and he winked at me before disappearing. What the Hades is going on?

* * *

The sing-a-long was decent, and I trudged back to my cabin absolutely exhausted from singing my loudest and worst with Jaycee on purpose, causing the Aphrodite cabin to scream in protest and leave early. But everyone else was fine with it.

It had been three hours, and I couldn't sleep. I glanced at the clock. Of course. 1:00 AM.

I groaned, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and slipping my black leather boots on. I left my cabin and just let myself run to wherever, landing at Zeus' Fist. Unfortunately, there was somebody already there.

"It's nice, these constellations." Nico said, and Nemo climbed up to the top of the rock pile and sat next to him.

"Yeah." I said, looking up.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Nico asked, finally looking down at me. I hated being five feet and two inches, but it was worse with him. He was like a giant compared to me, him being six feet four inches.

Not cool.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" I fired back, and he sighed.

"Nightmares." He said, shrugging, and he turned his head back to me. We made eye contact and I saw his black eyes from under his black hair (what a goth).

"Insomniac." I said, pointing to myself. He nodded and looked back up at the stars.

"Just don't let it get to you." He said, understanding why I couldn't go to sleep. "It takes a while, but the isolation, the loneliness, you just get used to being alone in a cabin meant for more than one." I turned to look back at him, but he was gone.

Well, this blows.

* * *

**Finally done! It's almost one o'clock here, so I'm going to sleep cause I'm tired. Nighty night!**

_**~*N.L*~**_


	4. Holding Grudges

**OMG another chapter! Read on, mortals!**

* * *

If you're asking my opinion, Nemo's first day at Camp Half-Blood went pretty well. I still couldn't understand why Mr. D didn't mess up her name though. He always does. It shows he cares. The fact that he didn't…..it scares me.

It truly does scare me. And I never get scared.

As usual, I couldn't sleep. You know how demigod dreams are weird? Yeah, mine are even weirder. I've gotten a little skill from Dad that I'm not sure I appreciate. Seeing the future is not all that great.

So, I was awake, lying on my bunk, staring at the base of the one above me, where my half-sister Nina slept. Everyone in the cabin was fast asleep. Everyone, that is, except me.

My bunk was located closest to a window, which I was grateful for. It made for quick and silent night getaways-whether I was meeting up with Connor or just going down to the beach to think. I pulled back the silk gold sheets and silently made my way out of my bed. I made sure to grab my specially made knife on my way out, just in case.

* * *

I hadn't brought a jacket, but the breeze was what I really needed to help clear my head.

I sat myself down on the cold, soft sand, and stared at the ocean in front of me. Cool, calm, and full of mystery.

"What're you doing out here, Sunshine?" A voice asked. I sat a little straighter, my muscles tensing, ready for a possible fight. My hand was already on the knife, rubbing the button on the hilt.

"Whoa," He said. "Calm yourself!"

I looked up at him and relaxed my shoulders. It was just my cousin, Percy.

"You startled me, Kelp-for-Brains," I told him, turning my attention back to the sea.

"Right, because you never get scared," He said and sat down next to me. "But, you didn't answer my question."

"Maybe I don't want to answer your question," I teased.

"Well, too bad. Cause you're answering."

"Couldn't sleep. Nothing out of the ordinary."

"Was it Drew?" He asked softly. I knew what he was talking about. I had a brother. I full-blooded older brother named Drew, who decided to leave the demigod life behind and forget anything that had to do with it.

Which included me.

He had forgotten about me, his little sister. The one who understood and sympathized with him. I promised myself that after school was over, I would be going year-round at Camp Half-Blood, and try and forget about him. I didn't dare stay in the mortal world longer than I had to. But I kept up with him. Right now, he has a lovely mortal girlfriend, who he plans on proposing to on their next dating anniversary. He wasn't planning on inviting our parents to the wedding. I knew he wouldn't even think about it unless his girlfriend, Noelle, wanted them to be there.

I felt the warm wetness roll down my cheeks and I nodded. I let my tears flow freely, something I wasn't used to. But with Percy, it was like being a whole different person. Percy put an arm around my shoulders and comforted me. After a minute or two, I pulled away and wiped at any stray tears.

"Sorry," I muttered hoarsely.

"It's okay. Everyone's got to cry."

I took deep, shaky breaths to calm my nerves. I could feel myself shaking. I nodded and got up from my spot.

"I better get going. Thanks, Perce."

"For what?" He asked, even though I knew he knew the answer.

"For everything."

He smiled and nodded before turning and watching the ocean with ease. I smiled and hurried back to my cabin.

* * *

Breakfast was uneventful, really. I sat in between Nemo and Nina, pretending last night never happened and I was asleep the whole time. I kept glancing over to the Hermes table and smiling.

"STOLLS!" A voice bellowed from the edge of the pavilion. Clarisse and her whole cabin were cover in glitter of various bright colors, courtesy of the Aphrodite kids. I held back my laughter, not wanting to get pounded by the Ares kids today.

"Yes, O Glittered One?" Travis laughed.

"What did you do?" She demanded, and if we could see past all the pink and silver glitter, I'm sure her face would be red with rage.

"Depends on when, cause you see, there was a time when Connor and Jaycee were making out, there was a time when we were getting chased, there was a time when we were planning pranks, there was-" Travis rambled, counting them on his hand, pretending to look thoughtful. Me and Connor, on the other hand, looked like ripe tomatoes.

"What did you do to my cabin?" She yelled, grabbing Travis by the shirt scruff, lifting his face to hers.

"Whew, grab a breath mint and then we'll talk!" Travis scrunched up his nose. Connor was in fits of laughter, despite our moment of embarrassment, and I, myself, was biting my bottom lip to prevent from busting up laughing.

"What makes you think we did it?" Connor wheezed through his laughter.

"Cause you always do everything, punks!"

"Well, without proof-" Connor shrugged, still laughing.

"-we can't take the credit of this glorious prank!" Travis was also laughing now, even as Clarisse dropped his and he fell hard to the floor.

Nemo was laughing like crazy beside me. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I started laughing too. Soon, our whole table was laughing, shortly followed by nearby tables. The Apollo and the Hermes tables were definitely laughing the hardest.

After breakfast, me and Nemo confronted the Stolls.

"Was it you?" Nemo asked immediately, still laughing quietly.

"We got a little help from Leo with setting off the glitter bomb…." Connor admitted.

"Man, my butt's sore now," Travis complained, rubbing his rump.

I laughed, "Well, we've got sword fighting now, so I'll see you guys 'round, kay?"

"M'kay," Travis shrugged and headed off to find Katie and brag about his pranking skills.

Connor kissed my cheek and said, "See you later!"

I blushed lightly and waved by, then pulled Nemo out of the pavilion so we could catch up with the rest of the Apollo Cabin. I loved the fact that Chiron put my best friend with the Apollo Cabin's schedule.

"Were you off with Connor again last night?" Andrea, my half-sister and the youngest of the Apollo Cabin, asked loudly on our way to the arena. I blushed a brighter red as some of my other siblings snickered.

"No! I took a walk down to the beach. _He_was on my mind," I stretched the emphasis on 'he' and the cabin seemed to understand, sobering immediately.

The rest of the way to the arena was made in silence, Nemo throwing me confused looks. Looks I chose to ignore.

* * *

I avoided Nemo's constant questioning, telling her that I'd tell her about the whole '_He_' thing later, when we were alone. I followed after my cabin to the archery range, rubbing my thumb over my pendant. My bow seemed to materialize in my hand, my quiver strapped to my back.

Nemo whispered, "Whoa."

I gave her a smile, the first smile I've made since breakfast, which was a long time ago. Or what felt like a long time ago.

As I was shooting I was imagining I was shooting the many people I didn't like. There were the school's wanna-be-popular girls Hallie Ross and Audrey Plow. I 'shot' those two a lot when I came to camp. There was my mom, my mortal half-brother, and Drew. I really didn't like the fact that Drew ran away from it all as soon as he had the chance.

I really didn't like the fact that he ran away from _me_. Guess I could really hold a grudge.

* * *

**A/N: Love to read your opinions on the story ;) Reviews are sweet as candy! Make us sick with the sweetness of reviews!**

_**~*J.C*~**_


	5. The Past Holds Everything

**Chapter Five is really early for you mortals, be happy, and give me and Jaycee reviews!**

* * *

I'm not quite sure why Mr. D called me by my real name instead of messing it up like Jaycee said. But I was gonna find out, whether he liked it or not.

After archery, I walked up to the Big House, where Chiron and Mr. D were playing pinochle. Me having a hipster dad and an old-fashioned stepmom, I actually knew how to play.

"Ah, Ms. Ledger, please sit down and join us in our game." Chiron gave me a friendly smile, and Mr. D just huffed.

"You're lucky we just finished a round so you can join at the beginning of a new game." Mr. D said gruffly, and I took the cards dealt to me in my hand.

"So, what brings you to the Big House?" Chiron asked, turning to me, and I sighed.

"I came to ask why Mr. D didn't mess up my name, like Jaycee and Percy said." I said, and Mr. D froze.

"I don't like that Peter boy very much." Mr. D said. "And Jaclyn is plain rude." I rolled my eyes, and somehow Mr. D didn't notice. Either that or he didn't really care.

"It's Percy and Jaycee." I said, and I took another card. "And they're some of my best friends." And it was true. "Please don't be so mean to them." I said, and Chiron looked at me like, _What in the Hades are you doing? He's a god!_ But Mr. D sighed, putting his cards on the table facedown.

"It all started when Iris formed, out of a rainbow five years after I became an Olympian." Mr. D said, and Chiron looked surprised that he was elaborating more on his strange behavior. "I was assigned by Zeus to be her mentor, so I had to show her around. At first we fought all the time, not agreeing to anything, but it was all about silly things. And then we grew closer, becoming best friends. She was the sister I never had, and she was grateful. I knew all of her secrets, and one of them was that she wanted to meet the perfect man to have kids with, and that's where you come along."

"Me?" I asked. "What does this have to do with me?" I almost shouted, and then the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. "And why in the Hades are you here, Nico?" I almost screamed, turning around fast, but almost running into him.

"He's a part of the story." Mr. D said. "Sit, Nico." Nico sat in the chair next to me, and he picked up some cards.

"But..." I trailed off, and then my temper settled down. "Fine. Continue, please." Even when I was trying to be mad at someone, I still had manners. It's how I was raised.

"Anyway, before Mr. di Angelo rudely interrupted—" Mr. D looked at Nico pointedly, but he just raised his eyebrows at the wine good and drew another card. "—Iris and I were like twins almost. We did everything together.

"But one day, she came to my temple, and she had been crying. I asked her, 'What's wrong?' And she said, 'I am pregnant.' And I was shocked." Mr. D said, and I looked down.

"So we waited the standard nine months, and before we knew it, Iris was in Apollo's infirmary giving birth to you, Nemo." Mr. D said, and I gasped. I was born in Olympus?

"So what happened then?" Nico asked quietly, seeing as how I couldn't speak due to shock, and Mr. D sighed.

"Iris was on the verge of fading because Nemo had a great deal of power, which exhausted Iris while she was in labor." Mr. D said. "Iris told to name you and take you to your biological father right before she passed out. I panicked, until a two year old Nico came in."

"Wait." Nico said, interrupting, and Mr. D raised his eyebrows, but let him speak. Yep, definitely out of behavior. "I was two in World War II! So what is..." Nico trailed off, not sure how to finish the sentence, and Mr. D sighed again.

"I'll get to that." He said, and continued. "Nico was the one who called you 'Nemo', so we kept the name, and I picked you middle name. You were Nemo Faye Harrison."

"But my name is—" I said.

"Ledger, I know." Mr. D rubbed his temples and sighed. "When Nico's mother was killed by Zeus, he was also going to kill you because you were too powerful. And Nico was growing powerful as well. So we placed all three of you in the Lotus Casino. When you were picked up, Nico, Nemo was picked up before you. Since she was five, she didn't know what was going on, and we gave her to a family in New York that had the last name Ledger. You were led to believe that you had a real father and a stepmom, never knowing your real mother." He finished, and the room was engulfed in silence.

"So I was Nico's friend?" I asked quietly, and Mr. D nodded.

"You'll have to ask Hades, because he was taking care of Nico and I had to help out with you mother." Mr. D said, and then there was more silence until I slapped my hands down on the table and stood up, running out of the room in frustration.

* * *

I found myself sitting next to the dragon up by Thalia's pine tree thinking about what Mr. D just told me. I was born during World War II? Unreal.

"What's wrong, Nemo?" I turned around to see Connor Stoll standing behind me. He walked over and sat down next to me.

"I was born in World War II." I said, and Connor looked shocked.

"What?" He asked, and then I told him everything. How Mr. D was practically my caretaker, how he and my mom were best friends, how I was friends with Nico and how he named me, and how I escaped from Lotus Casino.

"That's harsh." Connor whistled, and I looked at him.

"It's weird, you know." I said. "Learning something like this about yourself, and having a god as a caretaker."

"Especially Mr. D!" Connor and I laughed, and I didn't even have to turn around to see _him_ sitting next to me.

"He's also your godfather, and he cares about you. A lot." Nico said, and Connor looked at him weirdly.

"Wow. Mr. D has a heart. Who knew, right?" Connor said, and he got up. "I'll catch you later, Ledger." I waved to him as he jogged down the hill, and then I turned to Nico.

"So, you named me Nemo?" I asked, and Nico looked down sheepishly. "I'm glad." Nico looked up with confusion written all across his face. "It's cute!" I laughed, and he grinned. He's got some nice white teeth.

No, Nemo, just... Stop.

"Well in my defense, I was trying to say my name but got it wrong." Nico said sarcastically, and I lay down laughing. I looked at the clouds and pointed to one.

"Hey look! It's a wood nymph chasing a satyr!" I said, and Nico lay down beside me.

"You're way wrong!" Nico said. "It's, um, that's a party pony pushing a baby carriage." We both laughed, and my hand inched towards his.

"There's a lightning bolt." I pointed to a zigzag cloud, and his hand touched mine. I shivered because it was cold, but I didn't move.

"And next to it is..." Nico trailed off. "I think it's a wine goblet." Then fate took over our bodies because now we were holding hands. The coldness came off of him in waves, and I could sense the aura of death. It was a little bit unnerving, but I held on.

"It's a skull." I said, pointing to a skull shaped cloud in the sky, and I turned my head to Nico.

"That's a rainbow next to it." Nico said, looking at me, and our eyes locked. His were black and soulless, and I felt safe looking into them. I felt like I was home.

"Guys!" I heard a voice, and I sat up, letting go of his hand and breaking the trance.

"Yeah Perce?" Nico asked, sititng up next to me, and we turned to see Percy running towards us with a panicked expression.

"What's wrong?" I asked softly, standing up and placing my hand on his shoulder.

"It's Annabeth." Percy said. "She's been taken." And just like that, Percy ran off to the Big House. Nico and I shared a look, and then he grabbed my hand and shadow travelled us to the Big House.

* * *

"When did you last see Annie Bell, Pierre?" Mr. D asked, and Percy glared at him. I just rolled my eyes at my godfather and looked around the room to see the faces sitting around us.

Clarisse was sitting on the right side of the table next to the Stoll brothers, and Jaycee was next to them. On the other side there was (in order) Percy, Grover, Tyson, Nico, and me sitting around the Ping-Pong table. Chiron was at one end and Mr. D was at the other.

"First, it's Percy and her name is Annabeth." Percy said, gritting his teeth, and I shot him a glare. He calmed down, took a deep breath, and tried again. "And I last saw her when she was going back to her cabin to get the blueprints from rebuilding Olympus so she could go to work on them in the library."

"But she never got to the library." Clarisse put in. "I was in there helping Chris with a project and she never came in. We were by the entrance so I would see when someone came in." Suddenly I felt a coldness creeping up on me, like in my room the day before. It wasn't a Nico kind of cold, but it was an... An ice kind of cold. And I didn't like it.

"I think we need a quest." Jaycee spoke up, and everyone looked at her. "I mean, Percy should lead a quest to find Annabeth and defeat this thing that got her." Everyone nodded, and percy went up to the attic, where he would get his prophecy.

* * *

"Do you have any sevens?"

"Go fish."

I groaned and grabbed a card. I hoped that it was a seven, but when I looked at it, it was a King.

I didn't even need a King.

"What's taking Kelp Head so long?" Jaycee grumbled, and then, "Do you have any Kings?" I threw the King at her in frustration and looked out the window. I saw Percy running towards us, and he came running in.

"I have a prophecy." Percy said panting, and everyone looked at him in alert.

"Well?" I asked, raising my eyebrows, and he sat down next to Nico.

"_Summer solstice approaches fast; punishment to those that forgot the past.  
He cheats, he steals, he's stolen some; and now he's stolen the one you love.  
The sea will churn, relaying a message; the owl you seek has had a presage.  
Many souls have been lost by the winter frost._

"_Darkness shall lead the way; death comes through another day.  
The light who follows shall meet no ends; 'till daylight breaks, then she'll make amends.  
The sun comes out and seeks the truth; she'll grow up out of her eternal youth.  
The messenger will save the sun; while doing it, he has some fun._

"_Follow the map, it will lead the way; but do not fret or you will go astray.  
Each ice diamond you must find; they will destroy the frost's mind.  
None shall die but a price is paid; one will be wounded at the hand of a blade.  
Be careful heroes, summer solstice is near; you must save her before it is here."_ Percy relayed, and everything was silent.

"Who goes with him?" Clarisse asked in a quiet voice, and Chiron tilted his head.

"It's in the second stanza." Mr. D said, and everyone looked at him in confusion. "The darkness, the light, the sun, and the messenger. Kids from Hades, Iris, Apollo, and Hermes must go with Percy to save Ms. Chase." Everyone was surprised at the fact that he had gotten two more names right, but he paid them no attention.

"So Nico and Nemo are going." Percy said, and I spoke.

"Jaycee has to go too." I said, and Percy raised an eyebrow in question. "The prophecy called the sun a 'she', so she has to come."

"I'm coming too." Connor said, and Percy nodded.

"We have our team of five." Chiron said, and he sighed. "Pack your packs. Your leaving first thing tomorrow." Everyone filed out, and I almost ran back to my cabin.

As I sat on my bed, I wondered what kind of monster would kidnap Annabeth—one of the nicest campers around.

* * *

**Finished chapter five! Bet you didn't expect Mr. D to actually have a heart! Also, if you have any ideas for a new twist in this story, then just PM me or **Teenaged Author** depending on which character the twist applies to.**

**Please review! I love reviews!**

_**~*N.L*~**_


	6. Preparing For the Worst

After a dreamless sleep last night, I awoke in my bed, with my siblings already up and about. The youngest, Andrea, brought me over a pack as I rubbed the last bit of sleep out of my eyes.

"We went ahead and packed you some! It's got some clothes, and some money, and some drachmas, and-" She rambled as I took the pack from her. I ruffled her hair in thanks and got up and rummaged my trunk for some clean clothes.

I settled for some faded, ripped jeans, black converse, and my grey tee of a panda listening to music that had purple letters that read 'Epic Tunes'. I quickly changed and grabbed my necklace, slipping it around my neck. I stared at myself in the mirror. My wavy brown/black hair with red highlights seemed even more ratty and unmanageable today.

"Need some help?" Nina asked from the doorway of the bathroom.

"With this mess? I don't think there's much anyone can do to it," I gestured to my hair. She just smiled and took a brush to it, smoothing it out and putting it in a side braid within minutes. I smiled.

"Normally I can't even get a brush through it," I told my half-sister. She only laughed quietly.

"You're welcome. Don't die on us now, okay?"

I turned to her and gave her a big hug. I surprised her and I surprised myself. I'm not a big touch-y feel-y person.

"I'll miss you guys."

"Good luck out there, Jaycee."

"Make sure Oliver doesn't make too many lame haikus," I told her as I pulled away from the hug and left the bathroom. I just wanted to get this quest over with already.

* * *

"Connor, you don't need to take everything!" I told my boyfriend, laughing as he tried to fit all his stuff in one small pack.

"How else am I supposed to survive?" He retorted with a smile. I rolled my eyes. Travis was supposed to be helping him pack, but he insisted on going off to meet up with Katie instead.

I sighed as he continued to try and stuff his lock-picking kit into his already overflowing pack.

"Connor," I said, now slightly annoyed. He sighed and emptied his pack. "Good. Just pack some extra clothes, a tooth brush, some drachmas, and go ahead and bring the lock-picking kit. It may come in handy."

He nodded and re-stuffed his pack. I took a seat on his bunk as I watched him look around the room for stray drachmas. He looked over at me and smiled.

"Can I get a kiss for a drachma?" He asked. I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"I don't know, kisses are pretty expensive." I told him.

"Name your price."

I laughed and got up from my spot and went up to him. "This one's free."

We both leaned in, and our lips were almost touching when there was a loud cough coming from the doorway.

"You know," Travis said, "One of the camp rules are no two people of different cabins are to be in one cabin alone. Especially if one's a boy and the other's a girl."

"Travis! Since when did you start caring about the rules? I thought I knew you better," I said disappointedly and teasing.

"Oh no! Katie's getting to him!" Connor faked sadness.

"I fear it may be too late," I told Connor sadly. He nodded.

"Oh, ha-ha, very funny," Travis smiled.

"Now I know Katie's getting to him," I announced. "He sounds just like her!"

"When we get back we better hear about an awesome prank you pulled or we're sending you back to boot camp!" Connor said as he hugged his brother. "I'll miss you, big bro."

"I'll miss you, too, lil bro." Travis said, sounding sadder than I'd ever heard him before.

"I say you pull a nice big prank on the Hecate Cabin. They're always fun to mess with cause you never know how they'll get back at you," I told Travis as I got my own hug from my friend and boyfriend's brother.

"Take care of him," Travis whispered. From what the prophecy said, it sounds more like Connor will be taking care of me, I thought, but I whispered back to Travis, "I will."

* * *

I took a deep breath through my nose and let it out through my mouth. I placed my right hand on the trunk of Thalia's Pine and looked over my shoulder for one last glance at Camp Half-Blood.

I couldn't believe I was going on a quest. It was surreal. Connor wrapped an arm around me and I leaned into him. If I was going on a quest, I'm glad he was with me.

He kissed the top of my head and said, "At least no one's going to die."

I let out a short laugh. "And that was the longest prophecy I'd ever heard. I wonder how Percy's taking it."

Connor and I glanced at the stoic looking Percy. He was staring absently overlooking camp.

"Not well. But he's holding it together," Connor said as a stray tear slipped down his cheek and he quickly added, "Mostly."

I rested my head on his shoulder. I just hoped we'd find Annabeth soon. I knew my cousin well enough to know he'll be lost without her.

Nico was at the bottom of the hill by the van. Argus would take us into Manhattan and then we were on our own. All we were waiting on was Nemo.

She came with her standard tie-dye pack, wearing white, purple, and blue tie-dyed jeans, her black leather boots, and a red tank top underneath a yellow and green over the shoulder shirt, and she had a smile on her face, pretending to be excited and ready to go, but her eyes showed how tired she was. She turned to me, her smile wavering.

"Time to go! Let's go save a camper," She said before heading down the hill to join Nico at the van. Before I turned my focus to Percy, who was still absently watching the campers run around and do their normal activities, I saw Nico give Nemo a smile, and they got into the van.

"Percy?" I called to him. He turned around and silently walked down the hill to the van. I sighed.

Connor had dropped his arm around me and grabbed my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"C'mon," he said as he started to lead us down the hill. I let him lead me down to the van, but I got that feeling in the pit of my stomach that told me I wouldn't see Camp again for a long time.

* * *

As Argus drove away, we watched the white van till it was out of sight completely. Percy still looked depressed, but his eyes were like tropical storms of emotion. I looked at Nemo, who shouldered her pack silent for once. Nico looked as sulky as ever, and Connor seemed nervous.

I surveyed our rag tag group of questers and hoped for the best. I took a deep breath before speaking.

"Guess we should find that map."

* * *

**Well, hope you all liked the chapter! It's not as long as I'd hoped but it should be good enough for now!**

_**~*J.C*~**_


	7. The Quest Begins in Central Park

**Chapter Seven! Yay!**

* * *

I sat in the car next to Nico, my mind on Annabeth. I was still thinking about why she was taken when I remembered who lived in this city.

"Argus, take us to street corner 85th and First." I said, and Argus took a sharp turn.

"What are you doing?" Jaycee asked, and I smiled.

"We're going to see an old friend of mine."

* * *

I knocked on the door three times, letting her know that it was me standing there.

We were currently standing in the apartment building right on the corner of where I had told Argus to drop us off. I kept staring at the 4L on the door until it opened.

"Password?" The girl said, and I smirked.

"Iris." I said, and the door swung open wider.

"Come in." We walked into the small apartment and sat down on the fur rug in the living room.

"What do you need?" The girl asked, and I rolled my eyes.

"Get Lisette." I said, and the girl's eyes widened. "Now!" She scrambled off, and everyone looked at me.

"Why are we here?" Nico asked quietly, and I sighed.

"We need a location on the map." I said. "And voodoo magic works on almost anything." Just then an older woman came in and sat down in front us.

"Why are you here, child?" She asked in a Creole accent, and I took a deep breath.

"We need a location on the Map of Morpheus." I said, repeating what Chiron said about the map, and Lisette sighed.

"Child, you remember the kind of sacrifice needed for this kind of magic." She said, and I nodded. I held out my open hand, palm up, and she took the knife across the skin, causing the skin to break and blood came out. She ran the knife across my other hand and I let out a small gasp of pain.

"Do you still have the statue?" Lisette asked me, and I nodded.

"Nico, take off the necklace with the leather strap." I said, and Nico did as he was told, the cold skin of his hands brushing against my neck, and the hairs on it stood up. He handed it to Lisette and sat back beside me, silently watching the ritual.

"Now close your eyes, child, and say the chant I taught you three years ago." Lisette said, and I took another deep breath.

Now I was not born into a Creole family, but I was French (according to Mr. D), so it was not that hard remembering the chant in the different language.

I started to speak the chant, and my mind floated elsewhere. I saw a park, and the map was resting on a large rock covered in moss. I stopped chanting once I realized where I had seen this rock before—Central Park.

"I know where the map is!" I said excitedly, and we rushed out of the apartment, my hands still covered in my blood from the ritual. Lisette was calling out for us, but I didn't hear her.

* * *

I ran the entire way to Central Park, not telling Nico where I was going so he was punished into running too to try and catch up to me.

Now I don't consider myself to be that fast of a runner, but I am faster than the seniors at my school, and I could run at very fast paces for hours at a time (I would know—my friends made me when we had our Harry Potter movie marathon). It was especially hard when I was wearing jeans, but I didn't pay attention as I entered the clearing where the rock was. Panting, I ran over to the rock and picked up the map. Nico was the first one to catch up to me as I studied it.

"So, where are we going now?" Nico said, his breath coming in short gasps, and I saw the map shimmer. I looked at the first dot and grinned up at him.

"Goodbye Manhattan, New York, hello Custer, South Dakota."

* * *

We were sitting at a table in a small Pizzeria in Custer waiting for our number to be called.

"So, how are we going to do this?" I asked, and Percy shrugged.

"Tackle one at a time, I suppose." He said, and I shook my head.

"Our deadline for the summer solstice is in a week, or did you forget?" I said, pointing to the map, and Connor frowned.

"So how will we get all of the items we need today?" He asked, and I shrugged.

"Split up, I guess." I said. "We need to go to three places. Crazy Horse Monument for a rock from all of the mountain that they've gotten down, Reptile Gardens for the scale of an albino alligator and the fangs of an Inland Taipan, and to Bear Country for the fur of a black bear and the horns of a mountain goat. Then we need to go to Mount Rushmore and wait until midnight, and then we have to perform the ritual to a tee to get the first diamond we need." I said, and Jaycee's eyes widened.

"But then one of us will end up going alone!" Jaycee said, and I shook my head, smirking at the girl who had just walked through the door.

"Nope!" I said. "Jaycee, you'll go with Connor." Jaycee nodded and took Connor's hand into her's at that. "Nico, you'll come with me." Nico nodded and sent me a quirky grin, and I just rolled my eyes. "And Percy, you'll go with Thalia. Hey Thals." I said, and Thalia sat down next to me.

"I heard you guys needed me?" Thalia asked, and I nodded. "Great!"

"Thalia and I will take Crazy Horse." Percy said. "Sometimes the easiest jobs have the nastiest monsters." Just then our number was called and Percy went to go get our pizza.

"I can do that." Thalia said, and I nodded.

"Connor and I'll take Bear Country." Jaycee said, and she smirked. "I love bears."

"So I guess me and Nico will take Reptile Gardens." I said, and Nico frowned.

"But the Inland Taipan is the most dangerous snake in the world!" Nico said. "It's super fast and its poison can kill you in a matter of minutes!" I shuddered, and resolved that Nico would get the fangs for us.

* * *

Once we had eaten our pizza, we went our separate ways.

"Now we have to learn how to wrestle an alligator and get the fangs of the most dangerous snake in the world." I said to Nico. "This should be fun!" And then I took hold of his arm and we shadow traveled to Reptile Gardens.

* * *

**The next three chapters are of each team getting the ingredients for the ritual, and the third chapter will also have the ritual of getting the diamond from Mount Rushmore.**

**Hope you liked it!**

**_~*N.L*~_**


	8. Crazy Horse Monument

**This chapter is in Thalia's POV, but only because I have to include their part of this leg of the quest. After all, nothing goes the way you planned!**

* * *

**Thalia's POV**

* * *

Percy and I took a Ford Victoria to Crazy Horse Monument.

"So, did Artemis give you a break from the Hunt?" Percy asked me, and I nodded.

"When I told her that Nemo had Iris messaged me about the quest, Artemis let me come." I replied, and we reached Crazy Horse.

"This place is so cool!" Percy said, and I nodded.

"Mount Rushmore is smaller than Crazy Horse's head." I said, recalling what Annabeth had told me once, and Percy's face fell. "Don't worry, I miss her too." He only nodded as walked into the building. "Now, where do we get a rock from this place?" I asked, and Percy shrugged.

"Maybe we should walk around, you know, split up." Percy said. I nodded and I walked out through the back to check out the museum of the house.

As I walked around, I felt as though someone was following me. I turned around only to see a portrait of the guy designing this place. It creeped me out, and as I turned around, I came face to chest with Apollo.

"Hey, Thalia." Apollo said in a flirty tone, and I frowned.

"What?" I snapped, and his eyes reflected amusement.

"I'm here to talk to you." He said, and I scowled.

"I'm not in the mood." I said, and he smirked.

"But you were about two days ago, as I recall." Apollo said, and I glared daggers at him. Of course, I couldn't make him explode or something with my glare, and I was frustrated by this. Why, out of all the Hunters, did Apollo have to pick me as his new favorite?

"Can you please help me?" I asked, and Apollo tilted his head.

"But you owe me something." He said, and I sighed.

"What?" I asked through gritted teeth. Apollo always flirted with me and everything every time he came to visit Artemis or help transport us to Camp Half-Blood during winter and summer solstice.

"You have to be my date to the summer solstice ball." Apollo said, and I sighed in relief inwardly. I had thought that I was going to have to do something bigger.

Of course karma had to come around and bite me on the ass.

"And you have to kiss me." Apollo said.

"When?" I snapped. I was a huntress! I wasn't supposed to do this at all!

"Now is fine." Apollo smirked, and I scowled again.

"Fine." I said, and I leaned closer to him. Our lips were about to touch when I heard my name being called.

"Thalia!" I backed up from Apollo and looked at Percy.

"What?" I asked harshly, and Percy winced.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but we've got a problem." Percy said, and I looked around, seeing that there was nobody around us.

"What?" I asked again, this time nicer and less _I'm-gonna-kill-you_ type stuff.

"Well, first off, I found where the rocks are. And you walked right past them!" I rolled my eyes—something I knew I would keep repeating on this quest with Percy, and raised my eyebrows for the next bit of information.

"And what else?" I asked when Percy didn't get the sign to continue.

"And she's come back!" Percy said panicked, and I tilted my head to the side in confusion.

"Who?" I asked, and my question was answered when I heard a hiss behind me. I grabbed Percy's hand and closed my eyes, thinking, _'Why did this have to happen to me?'_

* * *

**Percy's POV**

**Ten Minutes Earlier (when Thalia and Apollo were talking)**

* * *

I was walking around over by the restaurant when some random dude caught my attention.

"Hey." He said, coming up to me. "You wanna know something?"

"Um, sure." I said. I didn't know what would happen if I said no, so I just agreed with him.

"She's back for blood this time." He said, and I raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Who?" I asked, and the guy just laughed.

"Your dad's ex-girlfriend, who else?" He said, and as he was walking away, I saw the hooves sticking out from under his jeans.

And then his sentence hit me. My dad's ex-girlfriend? That could only mean...

"Hello, Perseus." A raspy voice said, and I didn't turn around to face it or anything. I just bolted in the direction of the museum looking for Thalia. And on my way to it, I found a small rock from the monument. Score! I placed it in my pocket and called her name.

"Thalia!" I shouted, and she backed away from the guy she was with and looked my way. The guy winked at me, and he disappeared. Then I realized it was Apollo paying Thalia a visit. What could Apollo want with Thalia?

* * *

**Thalia's POV**

* * *

"What's Medusa doing here Percy?" I asked, keeping my eyes closed because I didn't know where she was.

"I don't know!" Percy said. "Last I saw she was in Tartarus!" I shuddered at Percy's bad luck and drew my sword.

"Don't be like that, daughter of Zeus." Medusa said, and I shivered. She was not going to get to me this time!

"Stop it!" A voice came from behind me, and I realized that Apollo had left to get his armor on. "Thalia, Percy, keep your eyes closed. I am in my true form and I wouldn't want you to die now." I put my sword away and started feeling around for the exit so we could make a run for it. I could feel Percy doing it too as we were trying to get out of there now that we had the rock we needed.

"You can open your eyes now." Apollo whispered in my ear, and I opened my eyes. We were standing on top of Crazy Horse Monument, and then I realized it was just me and Apollo.

"Oh my gods, it's amazing!" I said, and Apollo smirked.

"I thought you'd like it." He said and I noticed that Percy was nowhere to be found.

"Where's Percy?" I asked, and Apollo shrugged. I glared at him and he broke.

"Okay, okay!" Apollo said, raising his hands up like he was innocent. "He's getting the car. You still owe me a kiss, you know." I sighed, knowing there was no way of getting out of this.

"Fine." I said. "But if I get kicked out of the Hunters because of you, I'm coming after you." I said, and Apollo looked down.

"But it really doesn't matter, does it?" He asked, and I froze.

"What?" I asked, knowing what he was going to say.

"You joined the Hunters for the wrong reasons, Thalia." Apollo said. "And you and I both know it."

"So what if I did?" I asked, turning on him. "So what if I took an oath to Artemis knowing that one day I would break it?" I sat down on a large boulder and put my head in my hands. "I just can't risk getting hurt again, Apollo. You know that." He sighed and sat down next to me.

"You'll be fine." Apollo said. "Until next time." With his last whisper, I felt his lips on mine, and then I opened my eyes to see that I was sitting in the passenger seat of the car.

"You okay, Thalia?" Percy asked, and I nodded, turning the small rock in my hands.

"Fine." I said, and we drove off to Mount Rushmore in the sunset.

* * *

**Much more different than I expected, but it looks like Thalia has some secrets too! No, she will not give up the Hunt for Apollo, but there will be other reasons.**

* * *

**Until next time!**

_**~*N.L*~**_


	9. Bear Country USA

**Chapter Nine! I hope you all like it!**

* * *

**CHAPTER 9**

* * *

Connor and I were able to steal-oops! I mean, 'borrow' a Chevy Cruze once we got to Bear Country. And I have to say, it was pretty cool.

I was driving - gasp! I know, not even a learner's permit yet, but my fifteenth was coming up pretty soon, so we didn't think it would matter.

Plus, Connor sucks behind a wheel. And he's fifteen!

"Okay, here are the bears. Slow down. Not that slow! No, a little slower...too fast!" He directed.

"Stop being a backseat driver! I know what I'm doing. Scott's been having me practice," I told him as I slowed down the car so he could get some fur.

I don't know what bear fur has to do with it, but hey, when you're a demigod, anything - and I mean _anything_ - is possible.

One of the lighter colored black bears started to approach the car with great interest. Connor rolled down his window as it started to sniff at the car for anything it could possibly eat.

"Nice, Teddy Bear, good boy," Connor whispered as his hand started to make its way to touch the beast.

But the bear wasn't very...cooperative.

It straightened itself up and roared indignantly (do bears roar? If not, this one did a pretty good lion impression then).

Connor pulled his hand back and quickly started to roll up his window.

A couple of other bears noticed and started their way over now, this time on my side of the car. I didn't risk rolling my window down and trying to get some fur while I was driving. Of course Connor had to reach over and open the window, and the bear scratched my left cheek.

"Connor, you're going to have to get that bear to calm down!" I told him as I started to speed the car up a little, and I pressed a hand to my cheek.

"What? Why me?" He complained

"Cause you're the one who upset it!"

"And how do you know that?"

"I don't! It started roaring after _you_ called it 'boy'. Maybe it's a girl, and she took offense to being called a boy! AND it scratched me!"

Connor huffed, but rolled down the window a crack. "I'm sorry, uh, you're a very pretty girl-bear. Don't eat us."

I rolled my eyes, but the bear roared again, this time stalking off in the other direction.

"So now how are we going to get bear fur?" Connor asked as another bear, smaller than the last one, approached the car.

"Slow down," Connor started to backseat drive again.

* * *

"Do I have to?" I whined. We'd finally gotten the fur and had headed off in search for the mountain goats. We'd passed about what felt like a million animals before we figured out that the mountain goats were in - gasp (again) - the mountains.

"You made me get the fur, so you have get the goat horn!"

I groaned. "So I have to climb a mountain?"

Connor nodded his head. "Got any climbing gear?" I asked miserably before heading for the rocks.

I started to climb, carefully finding and picking footholds. Scanning the mountain side for the goats, I picked my way up.

Higher and higher I kept climbing until I found the first goat, thanks to its frightened bleat at my sudden appearance.

It started to, what seemed like at least, hop its way further up the mountain.

"Slow down!" I wanted to say, but I'd almost fallen twice, my hands were bloody from the many rocks that scratched them up, and I was cold to the bone.

I just climbed wearily after it, without a word, till I got to a spot on the mountainside concealed from view.

The goat was joining its small herd or whatever you call a group of goats.

How was I supposed to get one of their horns? It's not like I can just hack one's horn off and go.

I'm pretty sure I had heard about how goats shed their horns, so I started to scan the ground for any shed horns.

Sure enough, there were some horns on the ground around the goat's feet. I started to get up, but thought about what the goat's reaction would be. Not good.

Then I got an idea.

I picked up a stray pebble off the ground and threw it, startling the goats and causing them to scatter.

I smiled to myself as I grabbed a horn and started to hightail it out of there.

* * *

The way down wasn't as smooth as the way up. And the way up was pretty rocky (no pun intended).

When I was about a few feet from the ground, I had slipped started to fall. Lucky enough for me, Connor was waiting for me.

He hurried forward and caught me before my ass hit the ground.

"Damn, girl! Don't do that!" he said as he straightened himself up, holding me bridal-style.

I clung to his neck, tight grip around the horn, taking shaky breaths.

"You okay?" he whispered in my ear. After a few more deep breaths, I nodded slowly. But Connor didn't put me down.

"I'm fine, Connor. You can put me down now," I told him, my voice quiet.

"But I don't wanna!" he said in a childish voice.

"C'mon, Stoll!" I complained, taking my arms away from his neck. Then I smiled slightly. I asked playfully, "Why not?"

He smiled and leaned down, crashing his lips onto mine. My right hand-not the one holding the horn-found its way into his hair.

I'm pretty sure to any of the passer-by, we looked like those crazy-in-love teens, who randomly make out at the weirdest and most random times and places.

When we pulled apart for air, I momentarily forgot all problems. Then reality came rushing back and crashing into me like a freight train.

"Quest," I said lamely. His face fell slightly, but he put me down and nodded, "Quest."

Once seated in the car, before I strapped in, I quickly leaned over and gave him a kiss, surprising him pleasantly.

"Let's get going, Stoll," I said before driving off, the horn in the backseat with the bag of bear fur.

* * *

**Can't wait for the next chapter! Hope you guys liked it, and please review!**

_**~*J.C*~**_


	10. A Mount Rushmore Ritual

**Now it's time for Nemo and Nico to go onto their adventure to get the fangs of an Inland Taipan and a scale of an albino alligator. Yay!**

* * *

We entered the building and paid for our way in, and then I told Nico our plan.

"Okay. You go get the scale from an alligator and I'll get the fangs of the Inland Taipan." I said, and just as I was turning to walk inside of the dome, Nico grabbed my wrist.

"Be careful, Ledger." Nico said, and I smirked.

"You too, di Angelo." I replied, and we split up.

* * *

**Nico's POV**

* * *

I followed the sign to the 'alligator show', where I snuck into the back and knocked out the guy who was supposed to be going on. I quickly took his shirt and put it on after I had taken my shirt off, but this guy was so skinny that it fit very snugly on me. I tucked it into my black jeans and took the stick he was holding before I knocked him out.

"Welcome everybody, to the alligator show." I said, and everybody clapped. In one corner, I saw a group of teenage girls giggling over me and trying to get my attention, but I ignored them, much to their dismay. "Today, I'll teach you how to wrestle an alligator." I went step by step, using an albino alligator, and just before the show ended, I snatched up the scale and ran back to the back, quickly switching out the t-shirts again and looked around for Nemo, because I didn't see her leaving.

Then I heard a deadly scream coming from inside of the dome, and I made a break for it.

* * *

**Nemo's POV**

* * *

I made my way up the stairs and worked quickly. I used the special knockout gas Connor gave me so I threw it into the snake's enclosure and it passed out, giving me just enough time to get my gloves on, rip out its fangs, and put them into a bag.

And then that's where things started to go wrong.

I made it out of the Inland Taipan's enclosure before it woke up, but then I realized that the King Cobra had been let out on accident.

And its target was me.

I tried to run for the stairs, but the snake caught up to me easily. I turned around just as it was striking, and I felt a blinding pain in my right hand. I screamed bloody murder and just as the snake was about to strike me again, I raised my left hand and used the light to transport it back into its enclosure.

I sat there looking at my hand and where it had bitten me. The wound was starting to turn my hand an ugly shade of green and black, and I was shaking as the venom pulsed through me.

"I heard a scream!" Nico came running in and saw me holding my right hand. "What happened?" My vision started to go blurry.

"Bitten... King Cobra... Escaped... Need doctor." I managed, and Nico kneeled down next to me.

"Stay with me, Nemo!" Nico said, and I felt a small pressure on my forehead before the world went black.

* * *

**Nico's POV**

* * *

I kissed her forehead lightly just as Nemo passed out in my arms. I lifted her up bridal style and shadow travelled to Bear Country where Nemo had stationed Jaycee and Connor.

"Nico!" Jaycee exclaimed, and I looked her over. Jaycee looked terrible. Her hair was messed up and she had a medium sized scratch on her left cheek.

"What happened to Nemo?" Connor asked, concern flashing through his eyes.

"A King Cobra bit her hand." I said, and Jaycee grabbed the hand, closing her eyes and whispering an incantation. Immediately Nemo's color started to return.

"I stopped the venom from moving too fast, but it's still moving a little bit." Jaycee said. "At this rate, if Apollo doesn't heal her, then she will be dead a day after the quest." I paled at this (surprisingly I can pale, yes thank you for pointing that out Connor) and looked down at Nemo.

"Get better soon, Nemo." I whispered to her sleeping form, and we hopped into their car to get to Mount Rushmore, driving faster than the setting sun.

* * *

**Nemo's POV**

* * *

I woke up in the backseat of a truck with my head resting on Nico's lap. I looked down at my hand to see that there were two small scars on them from the snake bite. I sat up and steadied myself, and saw that we were in the parking lot of Mount Rushmore.

"You're finally awake!" Jaycee said from the driver's seat. "We're sitting her waiting for it to get dark outside." I nodded and leaned against the window, looking outside.

"Where's Percy and Thalia?" I asked, and Jaycee stiffened.

"Here, but Thalia's talking to my dad right now." Jaycee replied, and I gasped.

"Percy?" I asked, and she pointed to an old pickup truck five cars away. Without saying anything, I hopped out and ran to his car, knocking on the passenger window. He unlocked the car and I hopped in, taking Thalia's spot.

"You were right." Percy said. "Thalia's definitely got something going on with her life." I just nodded and looked down at my hands.

"It's not what you think." I said, and Percy nodded.

"I know." He said. "But I still worry about her. I mean, she is my cousin." I looked at him and marveled at how happy and great a guy is can be so distracted and confused and depressed.

"If only I knew what happened to her." I said quietly, and Percy looked away.

I remembered when Jaycee told me that my friendship with Percy was kind of like Harry Potter's and Luna Lovegood's relationship from _Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix_. We were friends - the weirdo blonde who knows things others shouldn't know and the handsome black haired hero - but I realized that maybe it was supposed to be like this. Percy's nineteen, and he's just saved the world for crying out loud. Twice! But he was now on a quest to rescue his girlfriend from the mysterious frost, and I figured that maybe Percy was like Harry Potter - the hero who always had to save the world and never got a break.

_The sun is now set, Nemo. Let's go._ Jaycee Iris-messaged me in my head, and I smiled.

"Let's go get that diamond." I said, and Percy unlocked the car again.

We hopped out and ran up the stairs, taking them four or five at a time. I stopped to take a good look at this place, knowing I'd never see it again.

There were pillars lining the walkway with four state flags on them in alphabetical order. I took a few pictures with a disposable camera - you know, just to keep this all in memory - and shoved into my backpack, heading for the balcony that took you to the viewing area for the four famous faces.

"It's beautiful!" I said, sitting down on the ground as some kind of show started on the screen down the stairs. Nobody was paying us any attention, so we sat down in a circle - minus Thalia, who was still talking to Apollo - and the ingredients we needed for the diamond were in front of us - the rock in front of Percy, the fangs in front of me, the horns in front of Jaycee, the fur in front of Connor, and the scale in front of Nico.

"Let's start." Nico said, slowly and gently taking the map out of my hands and placing it in the middle of the circle we had made. The instructions slowly appeared with a shimmer on the Map of Morpheus and we joined hands.

"'Creatures of the Darkness'," Nico started, "'we ask that you bring us the ice diamond in which to destroy the frost.'" We looked down at the map and it shimmered, as well as the ingredients. With a blinding flash of light - we looked away of course - the ingredients disappeared, being replaced with a crystal clear diamond. When we touched it, it was ice cold.

"We have the first diamond." I said, placing it carefully into a Ziploc bag inside of my backpack. "Now where do we go?"

A shimmer of the map revealed the answer. Percy looked down and grimaced.

"Looks like I'll be heading back." He said, and we all looked at our next location.

There, in black swirling letters, were the words, 'Denver, Colorado'.

* * *

**I hope y'all liked it! Denver, Colorado is a pretty nice place, so I hope you guys will like all of the chapters dealing with it!**

* * *

**Until next time!**

_**~*N.L*~**_


	11. Denver, Colorado

"Should we wait for Thalia?" I asked nervously. What did my dad want to talk to her about?

"No, she's hitching a ride with Apollo back to the Hunters. She'll be fine," Percy said as we piled into the car. Percy got behind the wheel, Nico up front in the passenger seat, sticking me, Connor, and Nemo in the back.

Connor held the map out so Nemo and I could look at it.

"Looks like we need to head to Elitch Gardens and Denver Aquarium," Nemo announced as Percy took a turn onto the highway.

"We need a feather and a tear from a phoenix in Elitch Gardens and the ink from a squid at the Denver Aquarium," I said looking at the words and pictures on the map. "So we should split up to get these items faster."

"Elitch Gardens seems to be bigger and more spread out, so Nico, Connor, and Jaycee go to the Gardens. I'm sure me and Percy can handle a squid," Nemo nodded. I looked at the back of Percy's seat. He _is_ the son of Poseidon. He won't need as much help. But I couldn't help but worry.

Reluctantly, I agreed. "Okay, then. It seems we'll run across the Aquarium before the Gardens, so we can drop you and Nemo off, and I'll take the wheel and take the rest of us to the Gardens."

"Why do _you_ get to drive?" Nico asked as Percy nodded and said, "Okay."

"For your information, Di Angelo, I'm a great driver! And you're never too good with cars. And Connor sucks behind the wheel."

"Unless it was a high-speed chase. I'm sure I'd be an awesome driver then!" Connor countered. I rolled my eyes and in response he gave me a crooked smile. We started to lean in, but Nemo started being…..Nemo.

"Eeew! Guys! Oooo! Did you see that hawk?" I sat back and nearly told her how I was glad she wouldn't be with us at the Gardens.

* * *

"And remember," Percy said for the fifth time now, "Don't get side-tracked. Stick to the plan. And stay together. If you have to split up, have a rendezvous point and meet up there as fast as possible. And-"

"I get it!" I told him. He opened the door and stepped out of the car so I could slide into the driver's seat. "Sheesh! I know you're nervous, but I didn't know you were _that _nervous!"

"And don't crash!" He called as I backed out of the parking lot.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I muttered, and we were back on the road.

* * *

We finally arrived at Elitch Gardens after a couple of wrong turns. (Okay, a lot. Happy Nemo? I admit that I'm directionally challenged!) But it wasn't my fault! Nico and Connor suck with directions, as well as driving.

Or I just suck at listening, but it's better to just blame the boys.

"Next time, I'm driving," Nico said as he got out of the car.

"And what makes you think you could do better?" I questioned as I followed him out of the car. "You gave lousy directions!"

"And what makes you think you could do better?" He asked in a falsetto voice, mimicking me. I felt my face go red with anger.

"Why I-" I started, but Connor had come up behind me and pulled me back as I started to lunge for the Ghost King, and placed a hand over my mouth. I licked his hand, but he didn't remove it.

"One: Eeew! Two: Calm down. We've got a quest to finish. You can kill him later," He said as he let me go.

I gave him a cross look and grumbled, "Fine. Let's get moving." I pushed ahead of them and headed for the entrance.

"Who made her temporary leader?" I heard Nico mutter to Connor, who I guessed shrugged his shoulders.

"I think it's hot," He answered. I felt my face heat up a little and shouted over my shoulder, "I can hear you!"

Add that to the list of things they suck at; whispering.

They both turned a light pink and hurried to catch up with me at the entrance.

"We have to find a guy named Frank to get to the phoenix. Any ideas?" I questioned as we casually walked through the park, trying to look like the other tourists. Connor had wrapped his arm around my waist and Nico stood slightly behind us, and every now and then said he was going to be sick.

From what, we weren't sure.

Nico pulled out the map and looked at it briefly. Percy had decided we'd need it more, since he was going to the aquarium. How hard could it be for a son of Poseidon to find a squid? Not hard enough that he'd need the map.

"It says Frank works at….Twister II," Nico told us. "And that's a long walk from here. Apparently it's all the way in the back of the park."

"Well, then let's get some exercise. And maybe some pictures," I said as we passed some people snapping photos.

"We're on a quest!" Nico said indignantly. "We can't stall and take pictures."

"Whatever. I'm getting some photos, whether you like it or not."

I could tell Nico was mad, because he didn't say another word. I'd bought a disposable camera off a vender and snapped a picture of Connor with a scowling Nico in the background.

"Perfect!" I smiled and stuck the camera in my back pocket. "And there's the sign for Twister II! Let's go!"

* * *

We pushed past people as we hurried towards the attraction. I had accidentally knocked over some guy and he yelled at me, but I ignored him. It didn't help that we'd managed to get a hellhound on our tails as we made our way over.

"Hurry up!" I called to Connor, who had been nearly bitten in half by the monster. "Nico! Can't you control it or something?"

Nico only took deep breaths and looked sickly pale - not that he doesn't always, but worse. He had shadow-travelled us as close to the ride as he could without looking suspicious. It must've taken a lot out of him.

We kept going. I made a grab at my pendant, my fingers barely touching it, and my bow materialized in my hand, my quiver strapped to my back. I notched an arrow and turned, skidding to a stop as I did so. I locked onto the hellhound's eyes as it got closer and Connor ran quickly past me.

I pulled the string back, but didn't have time to let the arrow fly before the monster turned to dust. I looked at Nico and Connor. Both shook their heads.

I turned back around to see a man. He seemed angry and startled.

"What the _hell_are you doing here?" He demanded angrily. I gulped as Nico, Connor, and I all exchanged worried glances. I turned back to the man and swallowed.

With a voice much calmer and braver then I felt, I asked, "Frank?"

"Yeah," He nodded. "And who the hell are you? And why are you here?"


	12. Bad Things Come to Those Who Are Demigod

"Percy, please explain to me why we are doing this again." I looked at him out of the corner of my eye (gotta love peripheral vision!), and then down at the arm that was currently wrapped around my waist. And guess whose body belonged to that body?

"I already told you, we don't want to look suspicious or out of place!" Percy said, and I rolled my eyes. I was a little jumpy after the sudden Iris-message when Thalia told me about her talk with Apollo - but she wouldn't give out any details for some odd reason.

I sense your confusion, so let me explain. Percy thought that we should look like we were dating so we wouldn't look 'suspicious or out of place!'. It was frankly, baffling me at how much kelp really was in his head after all.

So now we were fake boyfriend and girlfriend.

So I - being my nice self, after all - let him think whatever he wanted to and let him place his arm gently around my waist, but I'm still not sure how he can manage that, since I'm so short and he's almost six feet tall. But not as tall as Nico...

Now we were walking around, peering into tanks and checking out signs, looking out for the squids so we could get the liquid. In our search for posters, I found one on the wall next to the catfish tank that caught my eye.

'Be a part of the life-changing whale hunt. Experience it at the 4-D theater outside now!' I raised my eyebrows and poked Percy, pointing to the poster. With a nod of his head, we walked out of the aquarium to the ticket window to grab the 3-D glasses and to buy tickets, both of us thinking the exact same thing.

* * *

We were now in line for the 4-D adventure, waiting for the line to move. Apparently there were only nine seats total - two connected in each row, creating a three-by-three grid. Percy and I were in line for the front row.

The doors opened and I pulled Percy into the theater behind me, sliding my 3-D glasses onto my eyes and sat on the left chair of the middle connecting seat in the front row, Percy sitting next to me.

After ten minutes, the show started on the screen, the doors closed and the theater completely black, and my ADHD mind became entranced with the pictures.

"Let's dive down and find those whales." The captain's voice from on-screen said, and our chairs shook as the screen showed our submarine going down. As we shook, I felt a rock in my shoe and frowned.

Since the theater was pitch black, and the lenses were tinted too, I took off the glasses and slipped my shoe off, chucking the rock behind me. I looked back at the screen to see the giant squid swimming by. And then I realized it was coming closer.

"Percy, the squid." I said, slapping his arm and holding my 3-D glasses in my hand.

"I know, the special effects are so cool!" Percy whispered back. I shook my head and took his chin in my hands, turning his face towards me and throwing the glasses behind us.

"Now look." I said, and Percy look back at the screen. He could see the squid coming closer too, and then I started to worry about the mortals that were in the theater with us. I turned around to see that every single seat was empty, and I frowned.

"This is not happening." Percy whispered, and I nodded in agreement.

"You got that right!" I said. "I have a bad feeling about this..."

To sum it all up, the giant squid was real, the room was empty, and we were two powerful but defenseless demigods wanted by monsters everywhere.

Oh gods, help me now.

* * *

**Thalia's POV**

* * *

"Lady Artemis, you wanted to see me?" I walked into her tent to see Apollo sitting there next to Artemis, his face looking somber.

"Yes, Thalia." She said. "Please, sit down." I frowned in confusion but sat down next to Apollo anyway.

"What is this about?" I blurted, my ADHD getting the best of me. I winced, but let go of it when Artemis sighed.

"Thalia, I am so sorry, but I am asking you to leave the Hunt and to join Apollo." Artemis said, and I gasped.

"But why?" I said quietly, not believing what I was hearing.

"You are needed more with him than me." Artemis said tiredly. "Besides, all three of us know that your reasons for joining the Hunt were not for the right reasons." I sighed, looking down at my hands. She was right.

"But where will I go?" I asked, looking at Apollo, who suddenly lit up with a smirk.

"You'll be a sun warrior, of course!" Apollo said. "You know what comes with that." I nodded, and then looked down at my clothes to see that they were now black skinny jeans and a yellow tank top that said 'Death to Barbie'. I smiled at the familiar logo, and I stood up, following Apollo to the edge of camp.

"So here's what we do." Apollo said, but before he could say anything else, a scream erupted through the air.

"What was that?" I asked, and we raced towards the scream.

When we reached the clearing, I looked down, and could not believe my eyes at what I was seeing.

* * *

**Jaycee's POV**

* * *

"I said, what the hell are you doing here?" The man - Frank, I think - asked with an eyebrow raised, and I spoke up.

"We need a tear from a phoenix." I said, and he frowned.

"What for?" Frank said, and I sighed.

"For our quest." I said. "It's one of the ingredients to get an ice diamond from the Denver Capitol so we can defeat 'the frost'." I said, placing quotation marks around the frost part, and the man stiffened.

"Fine." Frank said, and I smiled widely. "But you all have to get on the ride first." We - Nico, Connor and I, in case you forgot - all nodded, and we got into the two front rows, Nico squishing into the second one while Connor and I took the first.

"Let's get started!" The announcement said, and the ride started. We climbed up the steep hill and reached the top. The car kept going and then we got to the last downhill of the ride. When we were at the top, I noticed that the track ended at the bottom. And the only thing that popped into my mind was, 'Oh gods, we're screwed.'

* * *

**Three major cliffies that are a part of the story! Oh, I feel bad for you by putting you all through this torture, but I wanna be mean for once.**

* * *

**So, until next time!**

_**~*N.L*~**_


	13. Phoenixes Watch Soap Operas?

**I was finally able to finish the chapter! School's just started for me, and teachers are already piling on homework! And then there's tennis practice and play practice too. Plus the usual teenage drama that the girls in my grade just love oh so much. *Sigh* So, super sorry for not updating sooner!**

* * *

"Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. The rest of the riders were yelling or laughing or puking over the side. I guess it would've been nice to mention that I'm not fond of roller coasters.

Connor was next to me with his eyes closed and his hands raised in the air, screaming with joy.

"Dude!" I slapped his side. He snapped his eyes open and I pointed at the ending railroad track.

"Oh gods! We're gonna die!" He was now screaming over and over in terror. Nico's eyes were wide, but he didn't show any fear of death-go figure.

I closed my eyes and braced myself for the impact that never came.

* * *

**Thalia's POV**

* * *

A group of…something was attacking the camp. I was too far away to tell what. They looked like guys. Just regular mortal guys, but that wouldn't make the hunters scream. Maybe yell in anger, but not scream like little girls.

Whoever they were, they were attacking the camp. The Hunters' had whipped out their weapons, but they didn't seem to affect the attackers. I had to blink many times before I could soak in the scene that lay before Apollo and me.

The Hunters of Artemis were under attack. By a group of _boys_. Monster or not.

* * *

**Jaycee's POV**

* * *

I opened my eyes as the other passengers screamed in delight as the coaster took a sharp turn and started turning in circles. I forced my eyes opened and patted my arms and legs. I felt my heart beat against my rib cage.

I was alive!

I slapped Connor's arm repeatedly until he started saying, "Ow! Stop it!"

Then he seemed to register that we weren't dead either and he pulled me in for a kiss. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. _He's only kissing you cause you two are alive! _Well, I don't care. I'm alive, my boyfriend's alive, and so life was pretty good sitting up at the front of the coaster, making out with my boyfriend.

"Ahem, I'm alive too, you know. But I'd prefer _not _to be kissed. By either of you," Nico coughed. I pulled away and gave him a glare.

"Oh, you're alive too, are you?" I replied coldly. Nico gave me a small smile and I rolled my eyes. Connor laughed though. The two screamed in delight the rest of the ride - thankfully, there were no more of the crazy, death stops in the tracks.

As we unloaded out of the ride, Frank came up to us, dark eyes cold.

"So, you weren't kidding. You really are demigods, huh?" He stated dully and disappointedly. I narrowed my eyes.

"That was a test? _That _was a test? _A test?!_" To say I was more than a little angry at that would be an understatement.

"Yeah," Frank shrugged, not detecting the obvious anger in my tone of voice. "Saw you use that demigod light manipulation to save yourselves. Which one of you a child of Apollo?"

I clenched my fist, digging my nails into my palm to keep from punching the guy, and as calmly as I could manage I uttered the single word. "Me."

Frank gave a nod then glanced at the two boys warily. "Your parents?"

Connor gave a crooked smile, and I honest to goodness thought I might melt like ice cream right then and there. Turns out, love - or more like, Aphrodite in particular - does that to you. Nico was scowling as usual, not wanting to be here.

"Hades, Lord of the Dead, God of the Underworld," Nico grunted before returning to scowling at a group of giggly girls who passed and were staring at him, wide-eyed.

Frank nodded again, looked at Connor, then felt around his pockets. "Where's my wallet gone?"

He wondered aloud to himself, making the corner of my mouth twitch upward.

Then Frank turned to give a glare at Connor. "The God of Thieves, ain't it?"

"What gave it away? My good-looks? The hot girlfriend? Pun intended," Connor pulled me closer to him as I laughed at his stupid children of Apollo joke.

Frank didn't nod. He showed no emotion at all. Then he turned and started to walk away from us. Nico glared at his back, rage ablaze in his obsidian eyes. The shadows seemed to condense, forming a black wall, pushing Frank back to us.

"Now what?" Frank growled, irritated.

"Where do you think you're going?" Nico growled. Connor was no longer smiling, and my laughter had ceased as soon as the man had turned around.

"To get you to that phoenix, dumbass!" Nico had the decency to look the slightest bit of embarrassed, but he didn't stop glaring.

"Little heads-up next time, okay?" The shadows melted back to their original places and Nico followed after Frank as he stalked off again, Connor and I right on their heels.

* * *

**Connor's POV**

* * *

After surviving the Coaster of Doom, you'd think I'd be prepared to see a phoenix perched in front of a TV watching a soap opera. But no. No matter what you've experienced, you will never be prepared to see a bird chattering angrily at a TV screen.

Frank opened the door to an 'Employee's Only' section that was pretty small and cramped. So small, that with four people and a giant bird, it made the Hermes Cabin before the Titan War feel roomy.

Frank ushered us to sit down on the couch - which we would've done anyway. One, because we were beat. Two, because we fell down on it as he pushed past us to get to the phoenix.

Jaycee was squished in the middle between Nico and me, shoulder to shoulder. I was able to wiggle my arm around her, and managed to get her on my lap instead. I pushed her hair back from her neck and kissed it gently. She gave a shiver, but leaned into me.

"Please! I'd rather not watch you two go at it!" Nico complained. Frank looked slightly grossed out too, so Jaycee just placed her head on my shoulder.

"Tear, please?" She yawned. She must've been tired. She had created that light track only minutes earlier, after all, then nearly blew her top as adrenaline kicked in when she found out that the ride was just a test to see if we were demigods. If she wasn't tired, I would've thought I'd gone mad.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm getting it. Hold your horses, Sunshine," Frank mumbled as he got closer to the bird, a jar in his hands. "Her show always ends on a sad note. She'll be crying in a moment."

Just then, the bird burst into tears, free-flowing down the feathers that were beautiful hues of yellow, red, and orange.

"C'mon Ember, girl, you know the new episode is coming on next. It's the season finale, too!" Frank cooed at the bird-apparently named Ember. Ember nodded her head, and made a sound that imitated a human sigh.

Felling awkward and uncomfortable, I shifted in my seat, as Jaycee stood up to take the jar from Frank with another yawn.

With tight grip on the jar filled with more than one tear, she heaved an even bigger yawn that suggested she was going to pass out. Nico quickly took the jar from her as she began to sway. I made a grab for her.

"Lemmego," Her words jumbled together as her eyes fluttered closed. She leaned heavily into me, and I scooped her up bridal style. Then a real problem surfaced as we exited Frank and Ember's cozy little room.

"Umm, Nico?"

"Huh?"

"Who's going to drive?"

* * *

**Love it? Hate it? I don't care, just review it! :) Love reading 'em!**

* * *

_**~*J.C*~**_


	14. Not Nico's Girlfriend, Indeed

**Chapter Fourteen, I believe. Not even halfway through! So exciting!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I swear to gods I'm only doing this now, but only because I keep forgetting about this. I only own Nemo Ledger and **Teenaged Author** owns Jaycee Carter and the rest of her characters.**

* * *

**Also, this chapter explains w****hy Nico is now older than Jaycee. I know that he was the same age as her in **And We Thought We Were Normal**, but this will explain what happened.**

* * *

**Nemo's POV**

* * *

The squid was coming and I tried to tug on my seatbelt, but it wouldn't come off. Percy, however, was lucky. His seatbelt slid back into its slot with a click and he shot up out of his seat, looking for a weapon.

"Percy!" I screamed. "Watch out!" The squid raised one of its legs or whatever and Percy ducked underneath it just as it smashed into the wall he was nearby.

"Help me Nemo!" Percy yelled at me, and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm still stuck in my seat!" I screamed back, and Percy groaned over the squid's shrieking.

"I can help with that." A voice behind me said, and my seat belt turned into dust. I turned around as soon I stood up to find Hermes standing behind me.

"Hermes." I whispered, and he winked.

"Look under your chair." He said, and then he was gone in the blink of an eye. I quickly dropped to the floor just as the leg swiped over me and looked under the chair to see a dagger duct-taped to the bottom of it.

_Read the inscription before you use it._ I heard Hermes' voice in my head, and I ripped it off and looked down at it.

"It's in Latin!" I screamed, and pocketed the dagger. If I couldn't read it, then I couldn't use it.

I ran for cover and found an iPhone on the ground. I quickly pressed the home button and unlocked it. Luckily for me, it didn't have a password. I looked through the apps to find the flashlight app, and I clicked on it, turning it to strobe. I made sure the eye of the squid was right on me, and then I pressed the on button.

"What are you doing?" Percy screamed, and I rolled my eyes again but succeeded in my goal to startle the squid, and before I knew it, I was covered in giant squid ink. And when I say covered, I meant from head-to-toe, stuck in uncomfortable places kind of covered.

"Whatever you did," Percy started, getting some ink from my hand into a small jar, "You managed to get the squid to leave." I looked back at the screen to see that it was blacked out.

"Yay." I said, dropping the phone on the ground, not really caring if I had broken someone's iPhone.

"We should probably get out of here before the authorities get us." Percy said, and I led him outside.

"Let's get to Elitch Gardens." I said, and I light-travelled us out of there.

* * *

"Why are you covered in ink?" Nico asked me when we landed at the entrance of the amusement park. Percy was unconscious and currently resting in the back seat of the car, where Jaycee and Connor were 'hanging out'.

"The squid attacked us, I scared it, and it sprayed me everywhere with ink." I complained, and Nico chuckled in his husky voice.

"Your lips look weird covered in black." Nico said. "I'm supposed to be the Goth one, Nemo!" I laughed and looked up at him (which was kind of a stretch for me, considering I'm super short).

"Well your lips aren't covered in black." I pointed out, and Nico stopped to think.

"You're right." He said, and before I could say anything, he kissed me. Just for a few seconds. But I was a bit wobbly on my feet after it. I looked up at his face to see that his lips were now black.

"Now you're playing the role of a true Goth." I said absentmindedly, and he laughed.

"Yep." He said, and we sat on a bench.

"So how come you're two years older than Jaycee?" I asked. "I heard that last year you were the same age as her." Nico looked tense, and he grimaced.

"But you don't have to tell me anything -" I started.

"No, I can tell you." Nico said, and he sighed. "Last year, after that whole mix-up with Jaycee, her family, and her older brother, Drew, I went on a mission for Chiron. I was supposed to rescue a powerful demigod from the family he was living with, because they were monsters. I don't know what kind, though. I can't remember. I became friends with him and then one night, when I was staying at his house, they attacked us."

"That's terrible!" I exclaimed, and he looked at me sadly.

"They killed the kid - Alexander - I was supposed to help in his sleep. But I woke up before they could kill me, and I fought them. They chased me to Central Park, and that's when they had called for backup.

"I was surrounded by these monsters, and I didn't know what to do. I used my power to banish them to Tartarus, and when I woke up, Apollo was standing there.

"He said, 'Nico, after all the power you used, you have been aged two years as a sacrifice. You are now fifteen.' I was completely shocked, and I almost didn't turn away when he left me. But I did.

"I came back to camp and told everybody, and I enrolled into Goode High School. I manipulated the Mist so the teachers wouldn't recognize me, all except for Mr. Blofis, or Paul. And since then, I've had to deal with being two years older than what I really should be." He ended his story and I looked down.

"That's terrible." I whispered, and he nodded.

"If I could redo what happened, I would've woken up before that poor unclaimed demigod died." Nico said, and I played with my bracelet. "And maybe I wouldn't have been in this whole mess." I looked at him in disbelief and stood up.

"That's all you care about?" I almost screamed. "If you hadn't been sent on this quest, I wouldn't have met you, I wouldn't have made another friend - which I so desperately need - and I wouldn't have fallen!" I stopped myself before I could give anything more away, and I stomped to the car, interrupting Jaycee and Connor in their 'quality alone time' (not necessarily alone, but good enough considering Percy was unconscious).

"Let's get to the Capitol before sunset." I said angrily, and Nico hopped in the car right before we drove off to complete the ritual.

* * *

After learning this little bit about Nico, I started wondering about what would happen if it was me in his position. Then I was brought out of my thoughts by Jaycee.

"We're here!" She said happily, and I hopped out of the car, tripping over Percy as I did so, so I fell.

I was lucky enough to fall straight on top of a poor black cat.

"Holy crap, cat! I'm so sorry!" I said, and picked it up. The cat looked at me and I saw that it had a sun amulet as a collar and Thalia's bright blue eyes. I quickly put the cat back down and it transformed into Thalia.

"That hurt, Nemo." Thalia grumbled as I helped her up, and I smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry." I said. "You make a cute cat." I patted her head and she rolled her eyes. Then she saw what I was covered in.

"What is that?" Thalia asked, and I looked down.

"This is giant squid ink." I said, and Thalia looked down.

"That's nice." She said, and when she looked up, I saw the faint pink blush on her cheeks. And then I saw her new outfit.

Instead of her silver dress with the white skinny jeans and silver boots underneath, Thalia was wearing bright red skinny jeans, a yellow tank top, and an orange over-the-shoulder shirt with a golden sun on it. She was still wearing her silver bracelet and that sun amulet, and instead of a silver circlet around her head, it was a golden one with a sun engraved in the middle.

"Thalia, what's this?" I asked, motioning to her new outfit, and she looked down at it, and then looked back up.

"This is my new uniform." Thalia said. "Well, the colors are new. I have a bunch of outfits I can wear in these same colors." Seeing the confusion on my face, she elaborated more. "I'm not a Hunter anymore. I'm now officially the Princess of Storms and Archery. I'm also -" Thalia gagged at this part. "- Apollo's 'queen'." She scoffed but I could see her cheeks turning red. Hmm...

"Nemo!" Jaycee said. "This ritual requires a rainbow." I groaned and Percy lifted up mist while I created the rainbow. Soon enough, the ingredients (and the rainbow) were gone and replaced by another ice diamond, this one black as Nico's eyes.

"Let's go!" I said, and Thalia turned back into a cat, climbing onto my lap as soon as I sat down in the car.

"Who's the cat?" Nico asked, and I rolled my eyes.

"Thalia." I said. Nico looked baffled and I giggled at his facial expression, but I didn't bother to explain further.

"So where does the map say we need to go, Connor?" Nico asked, and Connor looked at the map.

"We're headed to Reagan, Tennessee." Connor said, and we all looked at each other.

"We're headed where?"

* * *

We had stopped right in front of a giant pink house with a red roof in the middle of nowhere. I woke up to have my head on Nico's shoulder, my ink-stained red hair with highlights sticking to my face.

"Are we here?" I asked drowsily, and Nico laughed.

"We have been for about two hours." Nico said. "You just looked cute sleeping, so I didn't wake you up." I swear I saw Nico blush pink as I felt my cheeks burning, and I hopped out of the car.

Even Percy had woken up before I did, because when I walked into the house and, following the smell of food, entered the kitchen, he was sitting at the head of the table, two elderly people, a man and woman, cooking food.

"Oh, Nico! Nemo! So glad you two could make it!" The woman came up to me and took my face into her hands. After hugging me tightly, she pulled Nico into a hug even more tighter than mine was. "I missed you Nico!" Nico looked uncomfortable, until Percy elaborated.

"Nico, say hi to our grandma." Percy said, and I realized that he had controlled the Mist so we could stay here.

"Hi, grandma. It's good to see you." Nico said politely, and we sat down at the table at the only two spots left - next to each other.

"So, how's boarding school in New York?" The man asked, and I noticed that the question was directed to me.

"It's very educational." I said. "We were recently studying giant squid, so that's why I'm covered in squid ink." The woman smiled at me and she set down a plate of rolls as she asked me the next question.

"So, how long have you been dating Nico?" She asked, and mine and Nico's eyes both widened.

"Grandma, we're just friends!" Nico protested, and I nodded my head in agreement.

"If you say so." She sighed, and I looked at Percy - well, more like glared. He just shrugged and went back to eating his macaroni and cheese.

"Christine, can you please bring these kids more Coca-Cola?" The man asked and Christine nodded.

"Of course, Jack." She said, and then she disappeared out of the kitchen.

And Nico just had to put his arm around my waist when she left the room.

* * *

Dinner was pretty much uneventful after Christine mistook me for Nico's girlfriend. It was actually kind of funny (in Percy's, Jaycee's, and Connor's eyes) but I'm not Nico's girlfriend. It's not like I'll ever be his girlfriend anyway...

Okay, forget I said that.

But I was sharing the smaller room with Jaycee while Percy and Connor were taking the other room on our floor (which was bigger). Nico had taken the last room on the second floor (where we were), but there was a different staircase leading up to it because it wasn't connected to our rooms.

Nico and I trailed after everybody else (I of course had already taken a shower so I was now ink free) and I was about to walk up the stairs when he grabbed my wrist and turned me back around.

"Nico, what are you doing?" I asked, and he smirked.

"Telling my 'girlfriend' good night." Nico said, and without warning, he took my face in his hands and kissed me.

"'Not my girlfriend' indeed." I heard Christine in the background but paid her no attention. I just focused on the kiss while wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Finally!" I heard from upstairs, and Nico and I pulled apart to see Jaycee, Connor, and Percy all standing there watching us.

"Night, Nemo." Nico said, smirking, and after giving me a kiss on the cheek, he disappeared to his room.

"So, you're not Nico's girlfriend, Nemo?" Connor asked me as I was walking up the stairs, and I blushed.

"Sod off, Connor." I said, and I walked into my room, turned off the lights, and went to sleep, not being able to wait for the next day.

**I probably should have explained that a bit sooner, but Nemo was raised by an English family (aka from England) so she has an accent. Probably should have mentioned that sooner.**

**And I know that this may be a 'Mary-Sue' story so far, but just wait until the end. It's completely unexpected and nobody will ever figure it out.**

**Also, just something random that happened to me earlier, I was shaving my armpits and I cut my middle finger on my left hand. Like, the part where it bands so you can type reviews and stuff (hint hint), and I'm not quite sure how it happened. But it took thirty minutes for it to stop bleeding! It was bleeding really slowly but just wouldn't stop. Anyway, thought I'd share that with you.**

**Until next time!**

_**~*N.L*~**_


	15. Dress Shopping Not Fun

**Hello people of Fanfiction! It is I, Jaycee Carter, with another chapter for you of mine and Nemo's awesome adventures! Hope you like this addition to it!**

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After a dreamless sleep-which was unusual for me-I awoke to the smell of blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes wafting through the house. I sat up groggily, remembering where I was. I pulled the covers away and stood out of bed.

I saw that Nemo had already hurried to the kitchen. I pushed open the door to the room and traveled to the dining room. Percy, Connor, and Nemo were all sitting at the table, chowing down like it was their last meal or something.

I pecked Connor on the cheek and filled my plate with four chocolate chip pancakes, some eggs, and a cinnamon role. I sat down in the empty chair between Connor and Nemo.

"Where's Nico?" I asked between bites.

"Fixing up some more pancakes while Jack and Christine are out," Nemo replied lazily. I pushed the plate away teasingly.

"You mean to tell me, Nico made us breakfast?"

"It's really a wonder that we all aren't dead yet, huh?" Connor announced, his mouth full of food. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah. Wait…where'd he get the blueberries?" I asked, teasing. Connor stopped shoving a blueberry pancake in his mouth and called out to Nico. "You didn't get these berries from the Underworld, did you?"

This was met with Nico's laughter, which assured Connor that he hadn't, Nemo stayed away from the blueberries for about five minutes. Nico came out with another round of pancakes and eggs.

"Jack and Christine will be back any second now, so save some for them, okay?" Percy told the hungry demigods seated around the mahogany table.

"Uh-huh," Connor and I said through another round of stuffed mouths.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Nemo shrugged, shoving a forkful of eggs into her mouth. Nico just nodded as the backdoor that lead into the kitchen opened. Christine came in with a flier in hand and Jack followed, arms loaded with bags for various things, groceries included.

"Kids!" Christine called. I swallowed the food in my mouth, not wanting to be rude towards the elderly lady.

"Yes, Grandma?" Percy answered as the two elders came into the dining room. Christine held up the flier for all to see.

I was the first to finish reading it, for I-the lucky demigod I am-did not inherit dyslexia. Just ADHD, thank gods.

"A dance?" I asked, eyebrow raised. Christine nodded her head.

"Not just any dance, dear! It's the town's dance, held once a year. A bunch of young couples go out and have fun, dancing. It's a formal dance. It's like-"

"Cinderella's Ball?" I suggested. Christine smiled.

"Exactly, sweetie!" Then she winked at Connor. "This one's a keeper, dear." I blushed as Connor kissed my cheek. Jack smiled at the mischievous boy.

"What Christine is saying is that she'd like you all to go to the dance. It's a once in a lifetime experience," Jack told us.

"It's where I first met Jack," Christine added. "The dance is a magical thing, you know. It brings lovers together or even closer than they are."

I sighed happily, resting my head on Connor's shoulder. I saw Percy's eyes harden over as he excused himself from the table.

Jack and Christine looked concerned. I glanced between them and Percy's empty chair.

"Don't worry about Percy, Grammy. He just misses his girlfriend, Annabeth. She's visiting…with family. In a different country," I lied smoothly. This seemed to clear things up in Christine's mind. Jack looked sympathetic with who the Mist told him was his grandson.

A pang of guilt struck my heart. I didn't like mooching off such a nice elderly couple. I had no problem mooching off my family, my few friends, and even complete strangers, but when it came to where I needed to draw a line, I drew it at elderly. I couldn't stand mooching off elderly people, especially such nice ones like Jack and Christine.

"Okay," I said, giving up any thought of arguing or saying we couldn't because we had to get back to New York. "We'll go to the dance."

Nemo looked at me like an alien-which I expected more when she found out that I was a demigod, but oh well-and Nico and Connor went bug-eyed.

"Seriously?" Nemo whispered. I nodded. "Who are you, and what have you done with my best friend?"

I just rolled my eyes as Christine gave us a happy smile.

"Well, you girls go get dressed. I'm taking you two dress shopping! And you two gentlemen will go with Jack into town to get your stuff and a few other things I need," Christine told us. Nemo and I got out of our chairs and I took our plates to the sink and set them there.

Hurrying to mine and Nemo's room, I nearly knocked Connor over.

"Sorry!" I told him before kissing him on the cheek and going behind the door to my room. Taking a deep breath I went to my pack that I had thrown on the floor. Rummaging through it, I pulled out my grey 'Supergirl' tee and faded and tattered jeans. Slipping out of my pajamas and into my day clothes, I had started to try and brush through my messy, bedridden hair.

"You know it's pointless," Nemo said, a smirk placed on her lips.

"Yeah, I know," I got the feeling she wasn't just talking about my hair.

"Why'd you say we'd go to the dance?" She inquired. I turned to look at her, setting the big, silver brush on the dresser.

"Because it'd make Christine happy. You know I can't stand mooching off old people! Especially one's so nice!" I complained, throwing myself onto my bed. A knock on the door and a muffled voice reached my ears.

"Everybody decent?" Connor questioned.

"Come in!" I replied dully. The door opened and Connor's curly head popped in the doorway.

"Can I just ask…who are you, and what have you done with my lovely and sarcastic girlfriend?" He smiled and sat on the edge of my bed, near my feet.

I threw the pillow at him but he dodged it, so the pillow nailed Nemo in the face.

"Hey!" She complained, placing her hand on the pillow. "I will throw it back!"

I laughed and sat up. Connor scooted up next to me, wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me into him.

"Rule Number Three Hundred and Three! Do not gross me out with your couple love!" Nemo shouted loudly, causing Nico and Percy to pop their heads in to make sure she was alright.

I laughed as I hurried Nemo to the car where Christine was waiting patiently for us.

"Come one, girls! Let's get you some dresses. And we'll be seeing an old friend of mine as well!"

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**Connor's POV**

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I watched as my girlfriend and Nemo loaded into Christine's car. Jaycee waved, and I sent a smile and a wave back, watching until the car was out of sight.

Jack had somehow snuck up behind me and clamped a hand on my shoulder.

"To quote my wife boy, that one's a keeper," He chuckled. I smiled and gave a weak chuckle. "I can see why you like her," Jack continued. "She's not only pretty, but she's smart, too."

"Thanks," I said. "But there's a lot more to her. She's absolutely crazy at times, and she's got this way with words, and her voice when she sings….wow."

I could've gone on all day and Jack would've listened attentively. I told him a little more, like when she, Travis, and I pranked a certain cabin at the summer camp we go to, and how you could never expect what she'd do next.

But Jack stopped my rambling by squeezing my shoulder. "Son, we need to get your tuxes for the dance."

"Oh, right. The dance. Another thing I hadn't expected Jaycee to agree to. She hates dances," I stated. Maybe there'd be something else to do….maybe there'd be an awesome prank opening!

Jack led me through the house and up into the attic. There was a thick layer of dust covering the floor and the random objects strewn throughout the attic. Jack walked over to a clothes rack that was surrounded by boxes.

He rummaged through the hangers until he came to a covered hangar. He pulled it off the rack and walked back over to me.

"This was the tux I wore for my dance with Christine. I was about your size then, I think. Let's go see if it fits," He stated, leading me back downstairs. He ushered me into my room, where Percy and Nico were chatting, Nico sitting on the floor and Percy lounging on the bed.

"Hey, Connor," Percy said, no emotion in his voice. Man, was he depressed. Nico nodded in acknowledgement, eyeing the hanger.

"What's in there?" He asked.

"Oh, you know. What I'm supposed to wear to this dance thing."

Percy turned his head to face the wall. Nico rolled his eyes as what I said sunk into my mind. Katie's right. I don't think before I speak. Oh, well.

"Oh, man, dude, you know I-" I tried, but one look from Nico cut me off from apologizing.

"I just wish she were here, you know?" Percy whispered into the deafening silence. Nico nodded in understanding, "I know, Perce. But we're going to find her, and save her. We just have to take an apparent detour. Who knows? Maybe we'll find a clue."

"Yeah, maybe," Percy sighed before returning again to silence. I went ahead and tried on Jack's old tux. It was a little big, but it looked pretty good on me, if I do say so myself. I nodded at Percy and Nico before walking out of the room to show Jack.

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**Jaycee's POV**

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"Grammy?" I called behind the curtain of one of the dress shop's dressing rooms. This was the fifth dress I had to try on. Christine insisted that it be the perfect dress, and that she'd know it when she saw it. Nemo just said they all looked good as she found her dress nearly right away.

"Yes, come on out, dear," Christine called from the room outside the curtain. I pushed back the cloth and stepped out into the light in front of Christine and Nemo. Nemo gave a gasp, and Christine's eyes twinkled with tears.

"It's perfect!" She cried as Nemo stuttered, "You look…wow!"

I looked at the mirror in the corner and moved over to it, looking at my reflection. Nemo approached me from behind and I remembered how she commented earlier, when Christine handed it to me to try on, how the dress looked like Katniss Everdeen's from The Hunger Games movie.

Seeming to read my mind, Nemo stated, "It really does look like fire, you know, with the way the red and orange fade together. Now all we have to do is actually tame your tangled hair and style it!"

I groaned. "That'll be a nightmare."

Nemo laughed and led me back to the dressing room. "Now get changed so we can buy you your dress of fire and get out of here!"

I rolled my eyes, but went into the room and got changed. Once back into my regular, comfortable clothes, I walked out with the dress in my arms.

Christine put a hand on both mine and Nemo's shoulder. "Nico and Connor are two very lucky boys."

I smiled and laughed as Nemo's face flushed a deep red, but she managed a smile as well.

"Let's get going, Grammy. I'm sure the boys are wondering what's taking us so long," I told her as we walked out of the store and Nemo hopped into the backseat, laying her dress down carefully next to her. I laid mine on top of hers and sat in the passenger seat.

I looked back at her and smiled and winked, "Nico really is one lucky guy though."

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**Remember, reviews make people happy. And when people are happy, they smile. And when they smile, the world smiles. Make the world smile by reviewing. I have absolutely no clue what I'm saying.**

_**~*J.C*~**_


	16. The Dance and the Horrors That Come Too

**WARNING! This chapter is a bit racy during the beginning. And it's not even Percy's fault! I'm warning you now, just so you're aware.**

**And I know that Thalia was a Hunter, and I know that she was supposed to swear off men forever, but let's face it guys, she did it for the wrong reasons. She was bound to break her Oath to being a Hunter of Artemis and she was going to get together with another guy again.**

**Towards the end, I legitly couldn't resist putting some Apollo and Thalia fluff in there, so that's why it's there in the first place.**

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**Percy's POV**

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I stood in the middle of the dance floor looking around at the school, hoping to find the pearl around somewhere.

"Hey, hot stuff." I noticed my mistake and tried to leave but found myself surrounded by pretty girls.

"Um, hey." I said, and the girls giggled.

"You look a little lost." The first girl said, stepping forward. She had fake blond hair, an almost orange tan, bright pink lipstick, and a strapless pink dress that barely covered her with eight-inch heels.

"I'm just looking for someone." I adlibbed, hoping that they would leave.

"We can help you!" She said, and before I could react, I was dragged outside and was sat down on the side bench of a large fountain forcefully.

"Girls, you can go back to the dance now." The girl said. "I can handle this."

"Are you sure, Courtney?" One of her posse asked.

"Go, Gretchen!" Courtney snapped and the girls scampered back inside.

"What are you doing?" I asked, and Courtney smiled.

"I never learned your name." Courtney said, sitting next to me and playing with my hair.

"It's Percy." I said, looking into her eyes and getting lost (which I never do to anybody except for Annabeth, mind you).

"Mm, Percy." Courtney said, and I became mesmerized. It was somewhat like a trance that I had been put under but suddenly all thoughts vanished out of my head and I kept thinking about Courtney. "Greek, right?"

"Yeah." I said, and Courtney leaned closer.

"You know, I'm part Greek too." She said, and I raised my eyebrows.

"Oh really?" I asked, and she bit her lip (which I thought was completely sexy) and I swallowed. "My dad's Greek." I managed, and Courtney leaned even closer, her lips brushing up against mine.

"That's so hot." Courtney said, and before I knew it, her lips were on top of mine.

At first it started out as a simple, innocent kiss. But with was simple and innocent quickly became passionate and filled with lust and desire as she straddled my lap and wrestled my tongue with hers. My hands were on her hips and hers were tangled in my hair, pulling me closer. Her chest was pressed up against mine, and I could feel her sitting right on my -

"Percy!" I heard a familiar voice and snapped back to reality. Pushing Courtney away from me, I stood up and turned to find Thalia wearing a bright yellow dress with a red belt, a red headband, and red strap heels.

"Thalia!" I said, and she rushed up to me, pushing Courtney out of the way.

"Of course Seaweed Brain just HAD to get caught in an empousa's spell." Thalia said. With one move, she chopped Courtney's head off and she exploded into dust with a shriek.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, and Thalia's eyes flickered to a spot behind me. I turned to see Apollo wearing a black suit with a yellow undershirt and a red tie.

"There are ancient monsters here tonight looking for the pearl to unlock the ice diamond, Percy." He said, wrapping an arm around Thalia's waist. I raised an eyebrow at her and she turned as red as Apollo's tie, but didn't say anything.

"So what do I have to do?" I asked.

"Find my daughter and her boyfriend, Nico, and my niece." Apollo said, and when I raised an eyebrow at him, he added, "Nemo's my niece." I just nodded and headed inside to find them.

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**Nemo's POV**

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"Why do you keep staring at me?" I asked Nico, who was sitting next from me. He was wearing an all-black suit (completely expected in every way) and was absentmindedly playing with the skull ring on his thumb.

"Why shouldn't I be staring at you?" Nico countered, and I turned strawberry red. I pushed a piece of my bright orange hair behind my ear and fixed my earring.

"So you're resorting to playing the question game now?" I asked slyly, a grin forming on my face.

"Does it look that way to you?" He asked, leaning closer to me, and I leaned closer.

"Do I really have to answer that question?" I asked, and a flicker of amusement went through his eyes, though his face didn't show much emotion (with was also completely expected).

"Do you feel that you have to answer that question?" Nico replied, and I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes at his silliness. At sixteen, he's still just like a fourteen year old at heart. Before I could answer with yet another question for the fun of it, I noticed a bright blue orb pass my eyesight and I looked over Nico's shoulder to see a small pearl glowing brightly on a bracelet of one of what was clearly the school's hooker.

"I found the pearl." I whispered to Nico, and at first he didn't understand.

"What?" Nico asked, and I put my lips right up to his ear, tickling them with my breath.

"I found the bright blue pearl we need to get the ice diamond on the school's hooker's bracelet." I said. "Now go and get it." Nico's face reflected his bafflement and I snorted in laughter.

"You want me to do what?" He asked, and I smiled sexily at him, making him gulp.

"I want you to get your hot butt over to that girl and convince her that you really want her, when all you want is the pearl from her bracelet." I said, and Nico smirked.

"You think my butt is hot?" He asked, and I mirrored his smirk (I hate this quest - I've only known Nico for about five days and I'm already getting his smirk. Not to mention the fact we only have three days left for the quest).

"Who doesn't?" I asked, and stood up. "She's looking at you already, so just work your charm and I'll see you later tonight with that pearl." I walked away and found Connor, who was leaning against a wall with a scowl on his face.

"What's up?" I asked him, touching his arm, and Connor looked down at me (I hate being so short!).

"Jaycee's being groped by some a-hole that didn't hear her say that she had a boyfriend the first fifteen times she's said it and now she's just given up." Connor said, and I laughed.

"Well, I have to watch Nico being grinding by some slut so I guess it's fair." I said, and Connor held out a hand to me.

"Since our significant others are currently being used as 'play toys', would you like to dance?" Connor asked politely, and I smiled at him.

"Of course." I said, placing my left hand in his right, and as we were walking to the dance floor, I couldn't ignore the throbbing from my right hand, knowing that I only had about 72 hours left to live.

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**Thalia's POV**

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"I'm still not quite sure what happened with the Hunters, Apollo." I said as we were sitting on the bench of the fountain where Percy and Courtney had been making out (it was all just a spell for him and now another monster dead though) with my head on his shoulder and Apollo's arm around my shoulders.

"That was weird, but apparently the Boy Scouts of Austin, Texas all need emotional therapy now." He replied, and I bit back a laugh **(A/N: I didn't forget about that part! I just wanted to make the outcome of it funny.)**.

"So why did you want me to be a warrior next to you instead of some other girl?" I asked quietly. "There are other Hunters that are so much nicer and prettier than me." Apollo looked down at me with a concerned expression on his face and he tilted my head up to look at him.

"Don't say that about yourself, Thals." Apollo said almost angrily, and I could see his golden eyes smoldering. "You're beautiful, and I asked you to be a warrior with me because I want you to me with me for all eternity, or for as long as we can live as gods."

"I'm not a god." I said, shaking my head and pulling away from his embrace.

"But you are." He replied, and I gave him an inquisitive look, making Apollo sigh. "Zeus let you have one of his titles; therefore, you are now goddess of thunder!" Apollo said, and I laughed silently.

"How'd you manage that?" I asked, and Apollo shrugged, when I gave him my signature glare, however, he decided it would be best to tell me.

"I made him a bet, and he lost." Apollo said, and I snuggled into his shoulder.

"I love you." I said out of the blue, and Apollo kissed the top of my head.

"I love you too, Thals." He said. And then we just sat there enjoying each other's company in comfortable silence.

* * *

**Nemo's POV**

* * *

"Got the pearl." Nico said, trying for the nth time to rub the red lipstick off of his face.

"Got the diamond." Jaycee said, wringing her hair out of water. Apparently you had to stand at the top of the fountain and soak the pearl in water with a burst of light to get the diamond, so naturally Jaycee had to do it.

"Got the monsters." Connor said wiping monster dust off of the shoulders of his suit jacket.

"Alright, Nemo, where do we go next?" Percy asked me as he drove onto the highway.

"Go north." I directed him, and he took the next exit.

"What's north?" Jaycee asked with a frown on her face.

"Rochester, Indiana." I replied, looking up from the Map of Morpheus, and Connor grimaced.

"What's up, babe?" Jaycee whispered to him, and he grunted from the front seat.

"I'm going home."

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**Oh boy, a slight cliffhanger!**

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**Sorry about the EXTREMELY late update, but I honestly had too much going on. After the last chapter was uploaded and attached to the story, I had Legacy Marching Competition on September 29, 2012, Pomona Marching Competition October 6, 2012, Legend Marching Festival (just the exhibitioners since it was our school's competition for classes 1A, 2A, and 3A while we are 5A) October 13, 2012, and Regionals October 18, 2012. We also have been practicing ridiculously hard for Quarter Finals November 2, 2012 and State Finals November 3, 2012 (I know it sucks having two competitions two days in a row) AND on top of that, the guy who wrote our music is coming on Wednesday this upcoming week and we just redid almost the entire ballad. Oh, and I'm forgetting about my homework. At least we didn't have to go to BOA this year (BOA = Band of America).**

**Well, that was my week and my excuse, so you can't be mean because it took me super-duper long to update.**

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**Until next time!**

_**~*N.L*~**_


	17. Welcome to Rochester, Indiana

**Hello readers! I bring to you...chapter seventeen!**

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**Jaycee's POV**

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Connor, Nemo, and I all sat in the back of the truck, yawning. Connor hadn't said one thing since learning we were going to Rochester, Indiana. At least we don't have to go to my home, though Rochester is too close for comfort. I stared at the radio, willing it to come on. Yeah, no, that didn't happen. I continuously annoyed Nico until he turned it on.

I smiled in satisfaction as he turned it to a station without static-or country music (the only country artists I tolerated were Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, and Nickleback). I hummed along to the ending of Blow Me (One Last Kiss) by P!nk. The next song that came on was Coming Home. I grinned and nudged Connor, who sat staring out the window, unsmiling at the familiar Indiana landscape. My grin wavered as I started to recognize houses myself.

"I'm coming home, I'm coming home. Tell the world that I'm coming home. Let the rain, wash away, all the pain of yesterday," I sang quietly, managing a steady voice though my thoughts were scrambled and my nerves were kicked into high gear. Percy asked where he should park. Connor told him the next driveway.

Connor smiled at me and said sarcastically, "I always love it when I hear songs that totally fit my situation."

Percy pulled the truck into a connected driveway. I looked at the two houses, the yellow one to our left and the blue on to our right. I knew these houses. Connor started to lead us into the blue one.

"I've been here before," I announced. They all stopped to look at me.

"You have?" Nemo asked drowsily. She was still tired from the drive. Connor nodded.

"Not surprised. Aunt Lucinda likes to rent out the house during the fall and the spring," He shrugged. He still didn't look like my care-free pranking boyfriend.

"That'd explain it, I guess," I mumbled as I started to walk after him. My eyes glanced at the lake off by. There were two speed boats parked on the water and tied to the docks with their covers on. "Those would be the Maris's boats, right?"

Connor glanced at them and nodded. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

"My sister." A vague reply, I know, but that was all I was willing to say.

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**Connor's POV**

* * *

I wasn't all that excited about being home. Actually, not at all excited. I took a deep breath as I looked for the extra key. It wasn't under the welcome mat anymore, and I wasn't in the mood to use my powers or get out my lock picking kit.

"Why don't we just, I don't know, knock?" Nico suggested irritably. I gave him a pointed look while Jaycee slapped his arm. "Ow. It was just a suggestion!"

"I don't care. Connor knows what he's doing!" It felt good that my girlfriend had trust in me. Then, of course, she added, "I hope…"

"Thanks, Jay. Glad you trust me," I muttered as I placed my hand on the knob of the lake house. Jaycee stuck her tongue out at me while Nemo mumbled incoherently, slumped up against the wall of the house. I focused on the little stuff. My breathing, my heart rate, the crickets. Another breath in, another breath out, in, out, in-click. The knob turned to the right and I pulled.

The lights were on in the kitchen as I stepped into the spacious house. Jaycee walked in after me, but I motioned for her and the others to stop. A crash came from the kitchen.

"Joshua! Did you open the window? It's a little drafty!" Aunt Lucinda's voice filtered through the nearly empty house. Uncle Joshua's head popped up behind the sofa in front of the TV, like he'd been taking a nap.

"What'd you say, Lucy?" He asked.

"Did you open a window? Oh, forget it! I'll get it!" Aunt Lucinda yelled. She walked out of the kitchen, clutching a thin gray robe tightly around her in one hand while she stomped over to the door. Aunt Lucinda was a short little woman with curly, short blonde hair. She was wearing sweat pants that were too long and pinned up so she didn't trip along with a short sleeved plain orange top.

She screamed when she saw us standing in the doorway. Uncle Joshua practically growled, "What is it Lucinda? Another spider? We're out in the country, goddamn it! There're lots of spiders!"

"C-C-Connor?" Lucinda stuttered. I sighed.

"Yeah, Auntie. It's Connor Stoll, your nephew," I said, making Aunt Lucinda shudder.

"Don't say that last name, please," Aunt Lucinda whispered, a shudder passing through her. Wait till Travis hears about my run in with Aunt Lucinda and Uncle Joshua. Bet this'll make him glad he didn't have to go on the quest.

Uncle Joshua had stiffened on the couch and stood up, slowly turning around. When we made eye contact, he looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"But….you're dead! I-I saw you die!" He exclaimed. "You and your brother!"

"His name is Travis, and we didn't die. We crossed the street and never came back. Simple as that."

"But…"

I held up my hand. "Please, stop talking. Listen, I, uh….have a favor to ask you guys…."

Aunt Lucinda seemed to have noticed the others behind me. She snapped out of her stupor and ushered them all in past me and into the kitchen. Jaycee stayed next to me in front of the now closed door.

* * *

**Jaycee's POV**

* * *

I watched Connor walk down the stairs as Lucinda walked us to the place we would stay in till we found the diamond. Ever since we'd arrived, Lucinda and Joshua had been fidgety and on edge. Was it a demigod's arrival that unnerved them, or Connor's? They had thought that he'd been dead.

"Here you all are," Lucinda said once we had made a quick turn left at the top of the stairs. There were five beds lined up, with a railing overlooking the downstairs. A couch was leaning up against it in the far corner, a small TV across from it with an old gaming system hooked up to it. I immediately claimed the bed in the small alcove, set off from everyone and everything else.

"Thanks, Lucinda," Percy said pleasantly. He nodded and claimed one of the beds on the other side of the room. Nemo had already collapsed on another, fast asleep; Nico took the one next to hers. That left the one next to Percy's open for Connor when he got back. From my bed, I had the perfect view of all of them, but only Connor would be able to spot me if they all sat upright on their beds. I looked over the railing.

I heard voices arguing in whispers downstairs, but I didn't have the acute hearing of the Hermes children, so I couldn't make out what was being said. My eyesight blurred. I was tired. I needed to get some sleep before I passed out from exhaustion. Footsteps pounded up the stairs.

Connor sat down on the end of my bed and laid back, his head falling into my lap. I smiled tiredly down at him.

"Hey," I whispered.

"Hey," He whispered back. "Can I just sleep with you tonight?"

I patted the empty space next to me. Connor moved himself carefully up next to me and lay down, wrapping his arms around me, forcing me to lie down too. He pulled me closer to him and I turned, so that I was facing him. He looked down at me and kissed my forehead. I couldn't help the smile that crept across my face as I snuggled into him. I'm not usually into this kind of sappy romantic stuff, and I can't find an excuse as to why I'm so into it right now. I guess I've finally realized how short demigods' lives tend to be.

"Night, Sunshine," He yawned. I laughed quietly. "Night, Connor."

I was drifting off fast, and my eyelids were almost closed, only a crack still open. Sounds were slowly getting further and further away, and I barely heard the soft whisper.

"I love you."

His sentence echoed in my emptying mind, filling my insides with warmth, like it was Christmas and I just had a glass of hot chocolate. A comforting warmth that I hoped wouldn't leave me in my sleep.

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**Reviews, please? They encourage us to write more and faster!**

**_~*J.C*~_**


	18. Sobek, the Grumpy Green Giant

While everybody else was sleeping, I was up in the attic, surprisingly quiet despite my clumsy nature.

"Where's the amulet?" I whispered to myself. "Where's the stupid amulet?

"You mean this one?" My head snapped up to reveal a figure covered in black. I recognized the voice but couldn't quite put a place or name to it.

"Hey, I need that!" I shouted quietly, and the mysterious boy in front of me chuckled.

"Wow, Ledger. I never knew you were that dense." The voice said. "It's a fake." Before I knew what I was doing, I hugged the figure.

"Frank!" I said. "It is you!" I just hugged my cousin tighter.

You see, Frank is technically my cousin. His mom is my stepmom's sister, so we became really close during family reunions.

"Took you long enough, cousin." Frank Zhang said. I just pulled away and ripped the mask off. It was a bit silly anyway.

"So, what are you doing here?" I asked, and Frank sighed, sitting down on a large couch, the amulet clattering loudly on the floor.

"One of our newest campers, Misty Ferran, was taken by the 'frost'. We sent Reyna and Octavian on a quest to find them, but they've been missing for three months, so we were sent on another quest to find them." Frank said. "They've also left a note saying that the prophecy was not complete, and that the Greek daughter of Apollo will find comfort in a son of Hecate that had also been captured." I pondered this for a second. Jaycee was going to find comfort in a son of Hecate? But what will happen to Connor?

"Like the note said, Nemo," Frank started, breaking me of of my thoughts. "The prophecy wasn't complete." I stared back up at him.

"So, who's in your group?" I asked, and Frank's eyes lit up.

"Hazel Levesque, my new girlfriend and a daughter of Pluto, and Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus and boyfriend of Reyna." Frank said. "Who's in your group?"

"Jaycee Carter, daughter of Apollo, Connor Stoll, son of Hermes, Percy, and Nico do Angelo, son of—"

"Hades, Hazel's half brother." Frank finished. "We've met." The look on Frank's face made me change the subject.

"Bring everybody around." I said. "I'll get a group figured out for us to find the amulet to get that ice diamond."

* * *

I woke up to the sounds of dishes clanking together in the kitchen. I saw that I was the only person left sleeping and I quickly got dressed into a pair of yellow skinny jeans, a yellow tank top, and a yellow over the shoulder shirt with yellow makeup (except for lip gloss—that was still clear as day). I hopped down the stairs, my yellow Converse contrasting brightly with the dark brown wooden stairs.

"Hello!" I said, grabbing a plate and sitting next to Jaycee at the table.

"Nice 'daughter of Apollo' costume." She whispered and we both laughed.

"Weirdos!" Connor mouthed from across the table, and I remembered that as a son of Hermes, he had a really good sense of hearing.

"Anyway, we have three friends from across the country coming to help us." I said, looking straight at Percy, and he perked up.

"Frank and Hazel?" He asked excitedly.

"And Leo." I said. "The 'frost' took Reyna, Octavian, and another Roman camper called Misty. A Greek son of Hecate was also taken from his home just after." I said.

"How'd you know that?" Jaycee asked, and I noticed that Connor was looking down. What was he doing?

"Frank came last night and told me." I said. "He also said something about the prophecy not being complete." A silence filled the air.

"The prophecy wasn't complete?" Jaycee asked. "But, that's unheard of!"

"Well, we'll just see what happens today." Percy said. "Now, lets eat!"

* * *

Frank, Hazel, and Leo appeared just as Connor's family left for the carnival in the next county.

"So, where's the amulet now?" I asked Hazel just after we'd all introduced ourselves to each other along with the situation.

"It's in a lake." She replied. "I don't know where, but maybe Percy could help us with that.

"You mean Lake Rochester?" He asked, and Hazel nodded.

"Yep. We rented a little lake house there and a boat. All the works." Hazel said, but Percy shook his head.

"There's something sinister in that lake." He said. "I can't go in there." I furrowed my eyebrows.

"But, that's impossible!" I said, and Percy shook his head again, his raven black hair sweeping over his eyes.

"It's an older kind of magic. I can't enter the lake. Only you three can." Percy pointed to us three girls, and Jaycee stood up, shaken her head.

"I'm not taking a dip in the lake." She said. "Hazel can bring it up."

"Like Percy said, Jay." I told her. "It's an older kind of magic. If Percy can't enter the water, than Hazel can't bring up the amulet. We'll have to get it ourselves." We all looked at each other and sighed. Why did an easy job have to be so hard?

* * *

"Weird. There's nothing here!" I said, looking out into the lake.

"But I can feel the amulet's gem!" Hazel said. "Where is it?"

"I can see it!" Jaycee said, pointing out at a red glint in the water.

"I can see it too!" Hazel said excitedly. I paused for a second.

"Um, guys?" I said. "It's moving closer." All three of us looked back out and saw that it indeed was moving closer.

"Get ready!" Jaycee said, pulling out her bow and arrow. Hazel armed herself with her double daggers—shorter than swords but longer than knives. I took out the dagger, then remembered I couldn't use it until I could read what it said.

"Nemo! There's a weapon behind you!" Hazel said, and I turned around.

On the ground, there was a golden scepter with a ball of blue energy on the top. I picked it up and noticed a piece of paper taped to it.

"Nemo, hurry up! It's getting even closer!" Jaycee yelled at me.

"Okay!" I said, reading the note. It said, 'Nemo—you need this more than I do. Love, your father'. I was puzzled. My dad was dead.

"Ready!" I said, grabbing the scepter. The ball of energy was in between two sharp golden pieces, one longer than the other.

Just as I got the scepter perfectly fitted in my hands, however, a VERY large and VERY green crocodile man came out of the lake waters.

"How dare you trespass on Egyptian soil, Greeks and Romans?" The green giant said.

"That makes no sense!" Jaycee bravely said.

"Just attack!" I said, and we attacked.

Actually, I just kind of stood there and tried to figure out how the scepter worked while Hazel and Jaycee failed at defeating the crocodile man.

"Here we go!" I said experimentally, pointing the scepter at the crocodile man and wishing for the best. Suddenly, a burst of blue light shot towards the green giant and blasted a hole right through his chest. Fading away, the amulet stayed on the ground.

"How did you do that?" Hazel asked me, and I shrugged.

"I have no idea." I replied. "I just pointed the scepter at him and hoped for the best."

"Who's it from?" Jaycee asked.

"My dad." I said, and she gasped.

"I thought your dad was a mortal." She said. "And that he died!" I shrugged in confusion.

"I have lots of questions too." I said. "Now, let's return to the house right after we get the diamond."

* * *

Turns out the diamond was hidden inside of the amulet. Go figure.  
So we headed back to the house, picked up the boys, and got back into the truck headed for...

"Palm Springs, California?" Connor asked. "Why make us jump from place to place to get a stupid diamond? Why not go in order?" I sighed in annoyance. He'd been asking that all day.

"Just follow Leo's car." I told him, and we got onto the highway.

"I've been doing some research," Jaycee whispered to me, "and I found him." I scooted over closer to see the computer screen better.

"So who was he?" I asked.

"His name is Sobek." Jaycee said. "The crocodile god." She clicked around on the website and pulled up another page. "And get this—he's Egyptian."

"So that means..." I trailed off, not truly getting what she was trying to say.

"Sobek is Egyptian." Jaycee repeated a little more slowly. "If I'm correct, it means that all the gods from all the other mythologies are real too." She said, and I nodded for her to continue. "So, if that is true, then I know what the frost is." Jaycee said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yep." She replied. "And I know how to defeat it without the gems."

"Where do we go now?" I said, Hazel's number already dialing on my phone.

"Guys, we're going to the happiest place on earth!" Jaycee said loudly, and we turned around to get to Walt Disney World as fast as we could.


	19. Wonderful Walt Disney World

I mentally congratulated myself on my job well done. Figuring stuff like this major discovery does not come easily, you know! I continued researching on the 'frost', just in case there was something I missed.

"Are you sure you're not a daughter of Athena?"Nemo asked as I typed away.

I nodded, "I'm fairly certain that I'm a daughter of Apollo, Nemo."

"Hey, Jay?" Nico asked from the other side of Nemo, "If demigods and technology like cell phones don't mix well and attract monsters, how are you using a computer?"

"Nyssa from Hephaestus Cabin made it for me," I stated as my eyes scanned the web page. "Special request and plenty of drachmas to make it monster-proof."

"Oh," was all Nico said.

"She owed me a favor and upgraded my iPhone, too."

"Stop bragging!" Nico complained. I stuck my tongue out at him, looking up from my computer for the first time in quite awhile. I started to notice smaller details, like how Percy was extremely tired and extremely worried. How Connor was barely moving, just staring out the window. He was starting to worry me.

"Hey, Nemo," I whispered. "I think there's something wrong with Connor. He was just fine last night, but there's been something...off about him since this morning."

Nemo squirmed a little in her seat. "Really?"

"Yeah. You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?"

"Not necessarily..."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked suspiciously.

"Well...Frank said that the prophecy was incomplete and that the Greek daughter of Apollo would find comfort in a son of Hecate." She said it so fast that it took me a few seconds to process what she said.

"B-But...What? I don't even know any sons of Hecate! Well, I do, but...I wouldn't go 'find comfort' in them!"

"I didn't want to tell you. I'm sorry, Jaycee."

I sighed. The thought wasn't happy, especially since this was my first relationship. Connor had been the first guy that hasn't been scared out of their wits to approach me and genuinely ask me out because he wanted to. Not because of a stupid dare or something. (Trust me. It's happened before.) So I just gave Nemo a brave, sad smile.

"It's okay, Nemo. Honestly, if it were flip-flopped, I don't think I'd want to tell you, either."

She just smiled, grateful that I wasn't mad at her. But I was more mad at myself for being so stupid.

* * *

It took a long drive (longer than I would've liked) to get to Disney World. But we had been in Indiana, so it took roughly two and a half days to get there driving. At least I didn't figure it out when we got to Cali.

I hopped out of the car and stretched. I took a deep breath of fresh air. Fresher, anyway. Why don't you go try and stay in a car with three guys for two and a half days? Then any air outside, polluted or not, becomes fresh air.

"Finally!" Connor complained. Hazel, Frank, and Leo hopped out of their car after parking in the space next to ours.

"Welcome to the happiest and most magical place on Earth. Disney World! Yay!" I rolled my eyes as Leo gushed over the place. I'd been here once with my family, when I was three, so I don't remember anything about it. All I know is it mustn't had been as cool as it is now.

"Can we please go ride some rides, first? Pleeeeease?" Leo begged. Hazel frowned.

"We're on a mission, Leo! We need to find Misty, Octavian, and Praetor Reyna!" Hazel scolded. Leo sobered up at the mention of his missing girlfriend.

"The one girl who I like and she likes me back just has to get kidnapped, doesn't she?" He complained. I sighed. Connor seemed to have taken a sudden interest in the ground. Maybe his shoes suddenly turned into cats, like that one commercial about cat food...nope. He still had the same old battered up tennis shoes he had on thins morning. What was his deal?

I narrowed my eyes. "Connor?" I asked. He lifted his head, took a glance at me, then immediately put it down again. "Connor!"

He still didn't look at me. Leo, Frank, Nico, and Percy all stepped back half a step. "Yes...?"

My gaze softened. He sounded so innocent. Like a child. That's I remembered he's a son of Hermes, and is trained actor. My gaze hardened again. "What's wrong? You've been acting...funny. And not in your usual annoyingly cute way. You're starting to worry me."

I'm not the most sensitive or sympathetic person, but I'm definitely empathetic. I can feel empathy for some strange reason. And what I got from Connor was...guilty. He didn't answer me.

"Why do you feel guilty, Stoll?" I asked, my arms crossed over my chest. He didn't answer, but he talked.

"Let's just go. We can split up into teams to cover more ground for what we're looking for," Connor said dully. Definitely something wrong. Connor's usually...freer.

"Good idea, Connor!" Percy intervened. "Here, I'll go with Leo. Hazel with Frank, Jaycee with Nemo, and Connor with Nico. Am I forgetting anybody? No? Good. Let's get going."

He started forward, but Nemo stopped him before he could go too far. "We'll all meet up at the castle around four-thirty, okay?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah, sure thing! C'mon, man, lets go! I wanna check out–OOO! Cotton candy!"

* * *

I stood back at the castle at 4:45pm looking for Nico and Connor when just Connor walked up.

"Where's Nico?" I asked him frantically, keeping my distance after what I had heard during the quest.

"Jayce." Connor said with a solemn look on his face. Nemo gasped, Percy closed his eyes and brought her into a hug, and I just looked confused.

"What?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"Jayce," Connor said again. "Nico's dead."


	20. Doomed Demigods at Disney

We split up into our respective groups - Connor and Nico, Hazel and Frank, Leo and Percy, and me with Jayce. We stayed here in Magic Kingdom to look for clues while the others took the other three parks.

"What are we supposed to do?" I asked. "And who are we looking for?" Jaycee just looked at me cryptically.

"You'll see who she is." She said. "She's a very good friend of mine - and her partner's agreed to get you something." Immediately I was excited. I mean, now I have the scepter (which I had somehow gotten to transform into a chopstick for my hair - the other 'chopstick' actually being my Hermione Granger replica wand from the Wizarding World), but I still wanted another weapon that I could actually use!

We walked in silence until we reached the Haunted Mansion.

"Alright, now get into the line, but follow me when I tell you to." Jaycee said, and I nodded in agreement. I could feel the 'chopsticks' coming out of my hair and I sighed, taking the wand and putting in my pocket, and turning the other back into the scepter.

"Who's your friend?" I asked, just as the lights went out in the elevator and people screamed. I laughed to myself, remembering how fun this ride was when I was little.

"You'll love her." Jaycee replied. "She's a daughter of Ares and can get us a ride to where the 'frost' is." I froze just as the lights turned back on. The cold was seeping into my skin.

"Let's go, Nemo!" Jaycee pulled my hand and the cold instantly seeped out of my body as she pulled me to a secret door just beyond the neverending line of chairs that looked ridiculously comfy right now.

"What is this door?" I asked. "I've never seen it before."

"It's called the chicken door." Jaycee said. "I learned that term from the first Kingdom Keepers book." We went down the hallway and took a right, and then we ended up at a dead end.

"Nice!" I said. "Now we're never gonna meet your friend!"

"Nice to see you underestimate me." I turned around to see a redheaded woman in a leather jumpsuit that had belonged to the voice and a muscular man with sunglasses and a similar outfit on with a bow and a quiver of arrows slung on his shoulders.

"Hey B Dub." Jaycee said. "Nice to see you again, Hawk." The redhead rolled her eyes.

"You must be Nemo, daughter of Iris." She said. "I'm Natasha Romanoff, but you can call me Nat or Tash or Natasha, but please not B Dub. I'm a daughter of Ares and part of the Avengers. I understand you need to get to the 'frost' before it's too late." We both nodded.

"We just don't know where it is." I said, and the silent man just shook his head.

"I'm Clint Barton, son of Apollo, so that means I'm Jaycee's brother." He said. "Just call me Clint or Hawk, I don't care. Just don't be like Tony and call me Bird Boy. It gets really annoying really fast." I laughed.

"So, where is the 'frost'?" I asked, and Natasha shook her head.

"That's the thing - we don't know." She said, and Jaycee and I sighed in defeat.

"Our contact left the information in Harry's dorm in Hogwarts at the Wizarding World down in Universal Studios." Clint said. "And he also mentioned something about an 'untrustworthy' son of Hermes who was on this quest." Jaycee paled considerably.

"We'll be right on it." I said, pushing past them and pulling Jaycee along.

"Oh, and here's a sword." Clint said, hanging me an Imperial gold sword. "You'll need it."

"Hold on, is that..." Natasha started.

"What?" I asked, unconsciously bringing the scepter closer to my body.

"Never mind." She replied. "The scepter just looks like one of the scepters that a bad guy against us used." I shook my head and left. What was going on that people had to start going crazy?

* * *

We had gotten the information with no trouble at all - but now, as we were waiting for Connor and Nico at Cinderella Castle (in case you forgot, that was our rendezvous), I couldn't help but worry about what Clint had said. So, we can't trust Connor anymore? Go figure. It's always the children of Hermes...

"Leo, where are you going?" Percy asked, and Leo turned back around, practically bouncing up and down from excitement.

"I'm going to see the inside of Cinderella Castle since you made me run here to not be late, when we were fifteen minutes early." Leo said, and with that, he bounded off to the Castle.

"Oh, Leo..." Hazel sighed. "So much like Sammy." I had heard the story and felt somewhat sympathetic for Hazel. I mean, I would probably still have feelings for someone I knew long ago like her, and it wouldn't help if his great-grandson came around as a demigod and looked exactly like him.

"Where's Nico?" Jaycee asked him frantically, I looked over to see Connor standing there all by himself. Suddenly, the bad feeling in the pit of my stomach got worse.

"Jayce." Connor said with a solemn look on his face, and I knew. Percy's eyes filled with tears and he brought me in for a hug just as I gasped.

"What?" Jaycee asked, her voice shaking.

"Jayce," Connor said again. "Nico's dead." A sob echoed out from Hazel's mouth, and she was crying into Frank's shoulder. Instantly I felt guilty about the situation now. Nico was Hazel's brother, and the only mortal family she had left (mortal, I said, so Hades/Pluto doesn't count, of course).

"This isn't good." I said, and Percy pulled away, joining in the hug with Hazel and Frank. I was standing there by myself, and I could feel anger pulsing through my veins.

"Oh my gods, Nemo, what are you doing?" Jaycee asked, slowly backing up from me. I looked down at my hands (where Jaycee was pointing) and saw that my skin was turning blue. The lines being carved onto my skin were little bumps, and I looked up to see my breath creating fog in the air. It was ridiculously hot outside.

"What are you turning into?" Percy asked incredulously, and Jaycee and I shared a look.

"A frost giant." Jaycee whispered so that I could only hear it, and we locked eyes. "Your eyes are red, Nemo." I let out a silent sob. Nico was dead, and it was all my fault.

"Hey guys, it's really cool in there and - holy Jupiter, Nemo, what happened to you?" I turned to my left to see Leo standing there with a shocked look on his face.

"Don't ask." Jaycee replied for me. "She's in a very emotional state and it could bring about the downfall of us all." Everyone looked at her confusedly, but I shook my head, and could feel it cooling down. I was turning back to my normal skin and eye color.

"Nico's dead." I said, and Leo looked down.

"Oh, geez, I'm sorry." He said. "I knew you two were a..." He trailed off, not sure what to call us. Now, we were nothing.

Suddenly, the atmosphere changed. I sniffed the air and wrinkled my nose. "Hellhounds, behind you Leo!" I shouted, pulling out my scepter, but Leo was too fast for me and beat me to the punch. In his hand, a ball of fire materialized and he shot it towards the two hellhounds, and they exploded into dust.

"Yes!" He shouted, but I stared at the Castle.

"Leo, you set Cinderella Castle on fire!" I almost shouted, and people turned to stare at us. I could see security guards heading towards us, and I paled.

"Let's break this joint!" Leo said, and all of us raced towards the exit and to the airport to head to our next destination: Moscow, Russia. Even more specific: Red Room.

Basically, the 'frost' was hiding in an underground maze of highly trained assassins and other fun stuff. Whoop-dee-doo.


	21. The Angel of Light Begins

**This chapter is all flashbacks in Iris' POV and why she had kids with Nemo's dad and Nemo's dad only. It will also feature Octavian's POV at the end with a dream-vision somewhat like Jaycee's (except he doesn't spurt out prophecies - they're just dreams that happen in the future but it's not like he knows that). And you also get a very good clue on who Nemo's dad is in this chapter. Just send in your guesses and whoever's right will get a shout-out!**

* * *

**Iris' POV**

* * *

_**1940**_

* * *

I was sitting in a cafe, disguised as a redheaded woman with golden eyes, when I spotted my good friend Dionysus.

"Derek! Over here!" I said, standing up and waving my hands while using my code name for him.

"I can't really talk now, Isabella, so I'm gonna make this quick." He said. "There's been some trouble down in Manhattan. Some Norse god is apparently causing a ruckus. Father has ordered me to tell you that you have to go and fix the problem." He said, and I nodded. In the blink of an eye, I was standing in Manhattan in a dark alleyway - so not my style but it was necessary for the mission.

"So, you're the little goddess that they sent to 'contain' me?" I turned around to see a tall man step out of the shadows.

My breath caught in my throat. The man was naturally about six and a half feet tall with sleek, black hair that fell to his shoulders and emerald green eyes that glittered brightly in the sunlight. He wore an intricate outfit consisting of black pants and a black shirt, an emerald green cape to match his eyes, and a golden helmet with two horns sticking out and curving behind. In his right hand was a long, golden scepter with a blue ball of energy at the top in between two sharp pieces of gold, one longer than the other.

"And you're a Norse god?" I retorted, snorting, and in an instant I was pressed up against a wall with his hands enclosed around my neck, his scepter abandoned on the ground.

"Don't underestimate the power I can do." He said, his eyes turning blood red, and his breath became cold. I froze, not sure what to do. Then it hit me.

I took my two hands and kissed him long and hard. At first, he didn't know what to do. But, he pulled me closer and wrapped his arms around my waist.

When the kiss was over, I pulled away and, spinning out of his arms, took the scepter and disappeared back to Mount Olympus.

"Iris!" I heard Dionysus' voice behind me and turned around.

"I got his scepter." I said. "And I distracted him for a little bit. He shouldn't be that big of a problem anymore." Dionysus nodded and left, and as I walked back to my temple, I felt my lips with my two fingers and smiled. Maybe containing this Norse god was gonna be more fun than I thought.

* * *

**_1941_**

* * *

I was called to the throne room to talk to Zeus about a problem.

"Yes, Zeus?" I asked, entering the throne room, and his head snapped up.

"Iris." He said. "The Norse god that you dealt with last year is causing trouble again, this time in Greece. I need you to go there and make sure that he knows exactly what he is dealing with here." I nodded and transported to a little house in Greece, where I knew he would be waiting.

"My dear." He said with a crooked grin that made my heart skip a beat. "I knew Zeus would make you come back to me after a year." I glared at him and sat down on the couch in the living room. "I have a few questions." I nodded nervously, wondering what exactly he would ask.

"Go ahead." I replied, and he sat down very close next to me.

"Why did you kiss me the last time we met?" He asked, and I gulped nervously. I knew that he was going to ask that question, but I didn't want to admit it.

"I was trying to distract you so I could grab your scepter and disappear." I said, fidgeting with my hands, and he put a hand on them to stop me. His fair skin was cold, and I shivered unconsciously.

"Is that all?" He leaned closer, and I shook my head as if I was in a trance.

"I kissed you because..." I trailed off, trying to get myself not to say it.

"Because...?" He asked.

"Because I felt attracted to you and I had to make sure that my feelings were real." I said.

"Good." He said. "Because me personally, well, I think I need a reminder." And with that, the strange man from another mythology entirely pressed his cold lips against my warm ones.

At first, the kiss was short and sweet. But soon enough, tongues clashed and clothes were shed and my mind was blanked out except for the thought of, 'I think I love this man'.

* * *

_**1942**_

* * *

After that day, I kept going back to that little house in Greece every week to meet up with my lover and just talk, or sometimes, not talk at all.

But one day, I couldn't help but ask him this.

"What do you look like in your Jotun form?" I asked, and he froze, the smile on his face fading away.

"You should go now." He said, but I kept pressing.

"We've been doing this for a full year!" I said loudly, throwing my hands in the air as I stood up. "Why won't you just show me the real you?"

"Because I'm a monster!" He said, standing up and slamming his hands down on the table loudly. "You'll leave. I just know it."

I reached a hand across the table and placed it on his colder ones. "Please." I whispered, and he looked into my eyes. Sighing in defeat, he pulled back and closed his eyes, concentrating on it.

My eyes widened as he transformed. His skin turned a wonderful shade of blue with raised lines of skin. His eyes opened and I could see that they were a red, looking like blood.

"I told you I'm a monster." He said, looking away, and I walked around the table slowly, not able to take my eyes off of him. I lifted a hand and turned his chin towards me.

"You may be a monster," I started, and I could see the sadness in his eyes. "But you're the most beautiful creature I have ever seen." His eyes looked into mine with love and happiness, and I lightly brushed my fingers over his face, wiping off the tears of joy.

"You truly are the goddess of light." He said, and our lips met in a burst of light.

And that was the day I conceived our daughter, Nemo.

* * *

**Octavian's POV**

* * *

_*Dream*_

_I looked up towards the door where our captors entered and exited, and struggled in my chains again. Reyna and Annabeth had already given up for the day, Misty Ferran, a Roman daughter of Fortuna, was trying not to cry by the looks of it, and the Greek son of Hecate - Alex Brewer - was unconscious._

_Suddenly, a bang was heard. Then there were more. I could hear slashing and yelling and fighting altogether, by the sounds of it._

_The door flung open, and standing in the light was a redheaded demigod that looked like a goddess._

_"I'm Nemo Ledger, and I'm here to break you out." She said in a light and dreamy voice paired with an English proper-sounding accent. But what hit me the most was her eyes. Golden with emerald green specks flickering to blood red. And that's when I knew._

_That's when I knew I had fallen in love._

_*End Dream*_

I shot awake and looked around, seeing that I was still here in Red Room, Russia, still chained up to the wall. But I knew that the angel of light would be coming for us soon.

So I sat back against the wall and waited.

* * *

**Gods! Four chapters in two days, I'm becoming a softie! Not good!**

**And please, please, PLEASE send in your guesses for who Nemo's dad is. It shouldn't be that hard if you've seen Thor or the Avengers ;)**

**And, in other news (skip this if you don't really want to know), I have a trademark now! It's called the "WINKIE face" and you can't have it!**

**;) _~*N.L*~_**


	22. An Interesting Plane Ride to Moscow

How I knew the Avengers is a long story that I don't feel like going into. But, for a long story short, it was one of those 'Bring Your Daughter to Work' days, and my step-dad was an engineer that Tony Stark had called in for some help on a project. So, I got to go with him. And let's just say that I was sneaking around a bit, kay? I became good friends with all the Avengers, though the Hulk's idea of 'friend' means not wanting to beat them up, which was fine with me. We all kept in touch, and I liked to hang out with them every now and then. I liked to think of myself as the secret Avenger.

At the moment, we were all on the plane, heading for Moscow, Russia. I tapped my foot nervously on the floor of the plane. My eyes scanned the seats anxiously. I didn't like planes. I had never flown in a plane before, and it was an experience I was willing not to have.

We had decided we'd do the buddy system again. We sat in the same pairs we had at Disney World, but this time, Connor sat across the aisle from Nemo and me. I started to think.

Who was Hawk's contact? Why is Connor untrustworthy? How does Hawk's contact know Connor's untrustworthy? I knew better than to question the contact, though. I need to get the others alone to tell them, but I can't exactly say who told us. That was one of the agreements between the Avengers and I; I wouldn't reveal that I knew and had contact with them to anyone unless absolutely necessary. Nemo had fallen in the 'absolutely necessary' category, because it wasn't like I could ditch her. That would raise suspicion. And suspicion was the last thing I needed.

I let my eyes glance over at Connor. He seemed nervous, and more fidgety than usual. He kept glancing around, like I was. His eyes finally caught mine and he quickly looked down. I quirked an eyebrow at him before turning away. Taking one last look around the plane, I put my headphones in and played the new P!NK album, The Truth About Love, and slowly drifted into a nightmare.

* * *

We were running, our feet pounding against the metal flooring. We turned corners numerous times, one identical corridor after another. Nemo rushed ahead of us as Percy and Connor held off the onslaught of monsters. I just kept running after Nemo. My orders from Percy were to keep Nemo safe. I could handle that.

I chased her down, following her exact footsteps, the sounds bouncing off the walls. Then everything stopped.

I seemed to float out of my body. I mean, I could see myself, standing in the corridor, but the me that I could see started after Nemo again, and I headed back the way I came.

I stopped behind Percy and Connor as Percy beheaded the last monster.  
"There'll be more coming," Percy said, turning his sword back into a pen. Connor grimaced.

"I know," He growled. Percy pulled out his pen again, nervous, but unwilling to uncap it.

"Connor? What's up, man? You sound….weird."

"I…I had to, Perce. I had no choice," Connor aimed his sword at Percy. This time, Percy uncapped Riptide. I floated helplessly to the side, forced to watch.

"Man, snap out of it! C'mon, Connor, wake up!" Percy threw Riptide against Connor's blade.

"I am awake," Connor said as he lunged for Percy. I felt like screaming, but it was useless. The boys tumbled over each other, swinging the swords. When both were on their feet, they each had a few cuts decorating their arms and faces.

"You're my friend, man, I don't want to hurt you!" Percy sighed. I could feel extreme sadness radiating off him. Connor's eyes narrowed. He lowered his sword. I thought the fight was over. But he started running.

Running towards Nemo.

* * *

I awoke in my seat, Eminem screaming in my ears. I could feel the sweat beaded on my forehead. I could feel my heartbeat, beating like it was going to pop out of my chest. I could feel Nemo and Connor's gazes on me. I could feel the silence of the people on the plane, telling me I had been screaming.  
I gulped and took a shaky breath. Nemo gingerly took one of the headphones out of my ears, allowing the loud rap music to fill the silent compartment of the plane. I looked at her. I could feel the gold in my eyes glowing as they did every time I had a vision.

"Are you alright?" Came the words that everyone eventually asks. I just nodded. I didn't trust myself to speak, as I held back the growing tears behind my eyes. I knew I couldn't say a word about what I'd seen to her. Connor looked over at me from across the aisle, concern evident in his eyes.

Only now could I tell the fakeness of it.

* * *

The plane landed safely, thank the gods. The fact that Zeus didn't blast us out of the sky was a miracle, considering Percy was on the plane. Speaking of Percy, he was about as pale as Nico used to be. He came off the plane walking stiffly, his arms practically locked to his sides. I waited with Nemo and Connor for our luggage, which was really just a small pack for each of us, plus my computer bag.

Connor handed me my pack and computer bag. He didn't look me in the eye as he did so. I took them from him rather roughly. Percy looked over at us and managed a small laugh.

"First lover's quarrel?" He asked through the small laughs. I glared at him.

"You can just hush, Barnacle Boy," I growled. Then I glared at Connor, "and you could at least have the decency to look me in the eye!" Nemo stifled some of her own laughter, but I didn't say anything. I just scowled. "So, how are we getting there?"

* * *

Reyna's POV

* * *

I was chained to the wall, with two of my fellow Roman soldiers and a Greek son of Hecate. The door to the room slammed open and another Greek was dragged in, one I recognized from the beginning of the Giant War. It was the child of Athena - Annabeth Chase.

She was unconscious, as was the son of Hecate and Misty Ferran. Octavian had fallen asleep, somehow relaxed against the wall. How could that insufferable augur be relaxed? I closed my eyes, pretending to sleep, as Annabeth was being chained to the wall beside the other Greek. I waited for the footsteps of the person who chained her to recede into the hallway before opening my eyes.

They had taken five of us….I could only hope someone was coming to help us.


	23. Rushing to Return from Red Room, Russia

I was standing in the middle of a large palace surrounded by my friends, and at the front of the room stood Connor.

"What are you doing, Connor?" I whispered angrily, walking up to him, and he glared down at me.

"I'm just looking for clues, Nemo." He said my name with disdain, and I knew that he knew that I figured out what side he was really on.

"Not today, Stoll." Before I could say anything, Jaycee was standing behind Connor with her dagger on his throat, her arms wrapped around his neck. "Tell us who your working for."

Connor just laughed darkly. "The frost, of course. Who else?" I just narrowed my golden eyes at him and he laughed again.

"When I first met you, Nemo, I thought that you were a daughter of Hermes." Connor said nervously, stealing glances at the dagger underneath his chin. "But, we found out that you're just a stupid daughter of Iris. And then I thought, 'Connor, a girl like that can't be a daughter of Iris. There must be some other godly blood inside her.' And then it hit me. If you have a Jotun form and can use magic, then your father is a god. A very powerful one."

As he was ranting, I closed my eyes. I knew all of this already. So why would he tell me again?

"Don't tell me who my father is." I said, my eyes still closed. "You have no power over me like that." I said, and I heard a deep chuckled from in front of me that was not Connor.

"I have lots of power over you, little one." I opened my eyes to see a large and blue form standing above me. "After all, I am family." I widened my eyes in disbelief. This man was not my father.

"No." He said. "I am not your father." Damn gods. "But I am your grandfather." I shook as he reverted to a smaller form and walked towards me. "And you -" He grabbed hold of my neck and started choking me. "- you're going to die for the sin my son did in creating you." And I felt a darkness engulf my mind as I was thrown into a wall and crumpled to the floor.

* * *

**Jaycee's POV**

* * *

"Jayce, what's going on with Connor?" Percy asked after we had been 'escorted' out of the palace and underground to, well, Red Room.

I sighed and explained everything to him, including the Avengers. Percy was, well, he was very shocked when he found out.

"So that's why Connor turned on us?" He asked for the seven-millionth time, and I slapped my forehead.

"Like I said, we don't know why he betrayed us." I said. "But all I know is that you've been betrayed by a son of Hermes before." Percy stiffened, and I rolled my eyes. Wouldn't he ever get over this?

"Let's just try to come up with ideas on how to find the others." Percy said, and Hazel pushed him out of the circle and took his place.

"We're underground, which means I know where exactly they are and how to get out of here." She said. "Now, here's the plan..."

* * *

**Nemo's POV**

* * *

I opened my eyes to find that I was in a red room with no windows and no doors. _Just great._ I thought to myself, and the door opened.

"Well, well, well, look who it is!" I opened my eyes to see a tall man with blonde hair and startling blue eyes. "It's the Black Widow." I gulped.

"Sir, you're confusing me with somebody else." I said. "My name's Nemo Faye Ledger, daughter of Iris." The man froze.

"You're the daughter of who?" He asked again, and I rolled my eyes mentally.

"I'm the sole daughter of Iris." I said. "But you must know my father. He can do this like me." And I concentrated this time, turning into my Jotun form (as Jaycee calls it). The man dropped to his knees in front of me.

"So it's true." He said. "My brother is your father. You look just like him." I tilted my head in confusion.

"Who are you?" I asked, and he helped me up to my feet.

"I'm sorry, I forgot my manners." The man said, with what sounded like a British accent like mine. "I'm Thor Odinson, Norse god of Thunder and the Sky and all that stuff." He waved it off and transported me outside of the room in what looked like a control room. "Now, just defeat these guys, and you'll get your friends back." I nodded and unsheathed my sword. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**Octavian's POV**

* * *

I looked up towards the door where our captors entered and exited, and struggled in my chains again. Reyna and Annabeth had already given up for the day, Misty Ferran, a Roman daughter of Fortuna, was trying not to cry by the looks of it, and the Greek son of Hecate - Alex Brewer - was unconscious.

Suddenly, a bang was heard. Then there were more. I could hear slashing and yelling and fighting altogether, by the sounds of it.

The door flung open, and standing in the light was a redheaded demigod that looked like a goddess.

"I'm Nemo Ledger, and I'm here to break you out." She said in a light and dreamy voice paired with an English proper-sounding accent. But what hit me the most was her eyes. Golden with emerald green specks flickering to blood red. And that's when I knew.

That's when I knew I had fallen in love.

"Hey!" I snapped back to the present to see the Angel of Light crouching down right in front of me, her mysterious eyes peering into my blue ones. "Aren't you gonna get up? I've already cut your chains off!" I stood up and then fell against the wall, but her cold hands held me up and a shiver went through my body (and I'm not just talking about the coldness of her hands kind of shiver).

"Sorry." I said, my voice rusty from disuse. "I'm Octavian, Legacy of Apollo and son of Bastet, Egyptian goddess. I'm a hybrid of myths." Her eyes turned red and her skin turned blue.

"At least that's something we have in common." She said, still blue. She turned back to her natural color and looked me in the eyes. I could see sadness there, and I knew that she was going to die soon. I could just feel it. So I did something really stupid.

I kissed my Angel of Light.

* * *

**Nemo's POV**

* * *

Octavian was kissing me right now when I was supposed to be fighting and dammit, it felt good! Granted I really shouldn't do this, especially because Nico had just died, but he kissed me first!

So anyways, I was kissing him, and as I pulled away, I heard a voice in my head.

"I love you Nemo." It was Nico's voice, and I knew that he was giving me permission to move on, and as I kissed Octavian, I felt the snake venom in my veins run through my blood even faster.

"You're time is almost up." The Jotun's voice rang through my head, and I pulled away from the hybrid demigod in front of me.

"Let's go defeat the frost giants." I said, handing him my sword, and we raced out of the prison.

* * *

**I couldn't resist having Octavian acting on his feelings for Nemo in this chapter! And also, it's very essential to the story and possibly the sequel (hint hint). And keep sending in your guesses for Nemo's dad! It's so easy to guess especially since Thor came into the story for just a little bit.**

* * *

**And for the sequel (yes, there will be a sequel I know you're all squealing but shut up and let me finish my announcement) the 'hybrid demigods' will come into play for the Great Prophecy (I know that it's usually children of the Big Three but the hybrids are importanto as well!). Just send in some prank ideas for the sequel because they will come into play with the prophecy as well.**

* * *

**Sayonara suckers!**

**_;)_ _~*N.L*~_**


	24. The Torture Chamber

**Jaycee's POV**

* * *

Leo had made a wall of fire by spilling some oil and blasting it. You just gotta love those fire-users. He kept it up long enough to keep the frost giants at bay so the rest of us could follow Octavian to the rest of the captives. (Though he seemed rather hesitant to leave Nemo.)

Percy was first to burst through the door. He had rushed in with such energy—energy that had been missing as soon as Annabeth was kidnapped. Then went in Hazel, then Frank. Leo rushed up behind us, saying Nemo was taking care of the frost giants. Octavian started to rush back the way we had came to help her. A hoarse voice called from inside, "Leo?"

Leo perked up at the sound. "Reyna!" He practically screamed as he burst through the door next to meet his girlfriend. I walked in slower. My boyfriend—ex-boyfriend, now, mind you—was on the wrong side of the battlefield. Connor Stoll had pulled a Luke Castellan and switched over to the other team. I had no one to rush to. Not like Percy or Leo did. Well technically, neither did Hazel or Frank, but they had each other didn't they? I immediately missed the feeling of being cared about, being loved. It had been nice, but hadn't I told myself at the beginning good things always come to an end?

I examined the room with stone features. My eyes lingered over the happy, reuniting couples, in sadness. I felt numbness inside me once again.

My eyes stopped searching the room when they found Frank trying to break the chains off an unfamiliar, unconscious male. It must've been the son of Hecate that had been taken. I slowly made my way in that direction, as Frank broke off the last chain. The boy fell to the floor.

I knelt down beside him and placed my hand on the side of his head, the feeling of his soft dirty blonde hair tickling my fingers. I muttered a few things in Ancient Greek before removing my hand.

"He'll be fine. Should be awake in a few minutes, if I did the healing correctly. If not, then maybe an hour," I told Frank, who nodded and went to check on how Hazel was doing with Misty's chains. I stayed beside the boy. He looked to be about my age, though I may have been wrong. Sometimes you just can't tell.

On my right, Percy was helping Annabeth onto her feet. She was leaning heavily on him, and she seemed to have a small limp. Misty was still drowsy, and stood between Frank and Hazel for support till she was awake. Reyna seemed determined not to need any help. Yet the son of Hecate was still unconscious.

"C'mon, please wake up. Please," I whispered. I checked his pulse, just to make sure he was still alive. Barely, but alive. I turned him onto his back, then proceeded to push him into an upright position. He stayed slumped up against the wall.

"Hey," I whispered, "please wake up. Please. You need to wake up now." A jerking, twitching movement in his hand gave me confidence. I kept talking. "My name's Jaycee Carter, and its alright. My friends and I are here to get you out."

His hand moved forward and grabbed mine. I looked at him and smiled. He was waking slowly. I just need to keep talking.

"I'm the daughter of Apollo. The sun god. And...and," I tried to think of something else to say, but I didn't have to. His eyes started to flutter open. I smiled wider. I'd done it!

He coughed. "Alex," His voice was rough. "Alex Brewer." I stood up and held out a hand. Looking into his strikingly bright blue eyes that clearly hadn't lost their shine was a bit unnerving, and it definitely set something off deep inside my soul, but I shook my head and continued with my little speech.

"Well, Alex, it's time to go," I told him as he weakly grabbed my hand. I pulled him to his feet, allowing him to lean on me for support, his arm now draping my shoulders. Where skin met skin, I felt a tingle, and with the expression shown on his scarred and battered face, he had felt it too.

We followed Leo and Reyna out of the room and back into the chaos that my boyfriend - ex-boyfriend - was causing.

* * *

**Nemo's POV**

* * *

As Octavian and I were running out of the prison chamber from where I rescued him, I was pulled into a side room.

"Hello, Nemo." A voice breathed into my ear, and I struggled to get out of Connor's grasp.

"Get off of me!" I screamed loudly, struggling even harder to run free, but I was pushed against the wall.

"Not today, Nemo." He said, grinning at me evilly, and for a second I thought he was going to rape me until I saw the dagger in his hand.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked, whispering now from my rusty voice. I had been breathing in the dust down here too long.

"I'm giving you your punishment." He said, and grabbing my left arm, he pressed the dagger against the skin and I could see blood. I screamed and writhed as he carved the words into my skin, leaving barely any skin left on the inside of my forearm. He pushed me to the ground roughly, and locked me up in here as he left.

I cried as I slowly brought my arm up to my line of vision, wiping away the massive amounts of blood as best as I could.

There, engraved permanently onto my skin, were the words, 'Lying Bitch'.

I looked up to hear screaming from an very familiar voice in another room.

"Jaycee!" I screamed as loud as I could, my voice hoarse and my fists weak as I banged on the door. Hours must have passed by, and the screaming changed to an unfamiliar girl who must have been Misty or Annabeth, to an unfamiliar boy who may have been the son of Hecate Jaycee would find comfort in, to Octavian.

Finally, I was let out by a frost giant.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked the very short frost giant, being able to see eye to eye with him.

"I owe your father a debt." He said in a small voice, bowing low to me. "Besides, you did nothing wrong." I thanked him and ran out of the room, trying to find the others.

"Nemo!" I ran into a wall of what felt like iron, but was really Octavian. I looked up into his ocean blue eyes and noticed that he was tall. Not Nico tall, but tall nonetheless.

"Octavian!" I said, hugging him tightly. I just met him and already I'm finding comfort in him. What the hell was wrong with me?

"We have to find the others." He said, and he pulled on my hand, dragging me to a ledge very high up from what seemed like an arena. Jaycee, someone who must've been Alex, and Misty (I'm just guessing here!) were already standing there, and I noticed - for the first time - that Octavian had blood gushing down his left arm, like me. Misty, Alex, and Jaycee were all the same.

"Well, well, well." A voice echoed through the arena, and we all looked out to a ledge straight across from us. It was Connor, and if looks could kill, he's be rotting in Tartarus already.

"If it isn't the traitor." I said as loud as I could speak, earning a scowl from Connor.

"Let's just get on with things, shall we?" He said, and with a wave of his hand, we were covered in little red dots aiming for us.

We're screwed.

* * *

**Jaycee's POV**

* * *

I glared daggers at Connor. I couldn't believe this was him. I just couldn't! Was this always him? Or was it a new thing he was trying? What happened to the 'I-never-want-to-turn-into-Luke' guy, huh?

My arms were still bleeding from the earlier torture. I was pretty sure Alex and Nemo were, too.

Connor glared on right back. I could feel my anger bubbling. I had never been too good at keeping my temper, but I usually exploded on the inside. Not this time.

"So, how long were you this guy, huh, Connor? At the beginning of the quest? Or maybe it was longer. How am I supposed to know? It wasn't like I was your girlfriend, or anything!" I yelled, taking a step towards him, a step away from the ledge he had led us too. Hazel, Frank, Leo, Reyna, Annabeth, and Percy had all gotten out before Connor and the frost's gang caught up to us.

Connor's glare never faltered. So I kept at it.

"And what about your brother, Travis? Is he like you, too? Or did you forget about him? Was he supposed to know about this? Gods, Connor! How am I supposed to tell him another one of his brothers is a traitor?! And a full-blooded brother, at that!

"Do you know where my brother is, Connor? Nashville! And he doesn't have a damn clue about me! All because of a stupid wish he made! This situation right here reminds me of it, too. Except Travis is in my shoes and you're making the decision to go!" Connor shifted his weight from foot to foot and I took another step forward, blood drizzling down my arms, staining my hands red. "Connor, I hope you realize that we're done."

Right then, with my blood slipping down my arms, I could feel why some people thought cutting was pleasant. I could feel my anger leaving me as my blood did. I could feel myself relaxing. But I also knew I was losing blood, which could be fatal, and the open wounds on my arms were free to disease and infection. I wonder if the people who cut themselves everyday know about the cons, or if they do it because they only recognize the pros? I understood why they would only focus on the good things. I felt numb. Relaxed. Worry-less.

I glanced behind me at the ledge. Were the others down there? I took a few steps back and glanced down. No, not yet. But maybe I could do something to distract Connor from his plan of killing us. So I did something crazy.

So I turned and jumped off of the ledge.

* * *

**Loki's POV**

* * *

I struggled against my chains again, hoping they would break free, but as always, they didn't. I mean, I am in Asgard, so what did I really expect? I sighed and continued to look at the ground.

Iris had come to visit me telling me that I had a daughter, and I immediately sent my scepter to her (you know, the one that I had used against the Avengers but now I completely regret my decision) hoping that she would get it. I hope that she did. I hope that one day I can meet her. Maybe I'll be lucky for once in my miserable life and be happy - with a whole family and everything.

I'm a god. People think I automatically get what I want. But I'm the god of mischief and lies. That means my daughter - Nemo, I think her name was - is somewhat like the Greek god Hermes, but she's actually a Norse demigod.

Hmm, I wonder if she knows that she's a hybrid. And the bad thing about hybrid demigods? Their gifts are either curses, or blessings.

And sometimes, it's both.

* * *

**Do you like the little POV of Loki at the end? I thought it was pretty nice, if I do say so myself. So Jay wrote all of Jaycee's POV, and I wrote everything else. I'm hoping that we can get this done before Christmas so I can spend my Breck vacation, my NYC vacation, and my last free week of Christmas break planning the sequel. I know you're all wondering what the sequel will be called, but all I can tell you is that it will start with, "The Light..." and the trilogy (or saga, we haven't decided yet) will just be called "The Light".**

* * *

**So please review, because Jay and I love reviews, and we also love our new characters (please tell me if you like the new characters and the little bit about Jaycee and Alex in there because the character Alex - created by my friend Jeremy - was inspired by my name and named him after me)**

* * *

**Yay!**

* * *

**_;) ~*N.L*~_  
**


	25. The Ending for Some

I closed my eyes as I heard a scream. It might've been mine, but I wasn't sure. In my mind I pictured a slide, made entirely out of light that was so concentrated it seemed solid and could be ridden on. I felt it beneath me as I slide in spirals to the ground.

My feet hit concrete as I opened my eyes and looked to the top of the building. Connor was rushing to the edge. My slide was dissolving at the top so he couldn't follow. He glared down at me and slammed his fist down on the ledge. I glared right back.

Then he made such a sudden movement. I couldn't process it until it might've been too late. Connor had whipped out a dagger and was advancing Nemo, who stood to his right. She started backing up, backing right into Octavian, who stumbled back. Connor grabbed Nemo's bloody arm.

He yanked her to her feet, holding the dagger to her neck. I felt my bow materialize in my hands. I could feel the burning scream in my throat. I notched an arrow and had the bow aimed, string pulled back, ready for release.

And that's exactly what I did. I chose to look away as Connor's limp body fell to the floor, the arrow piercing his heart sticking up. I let the part of the top of the slide re-materialize.

"C'mon! I can't hold it for long!" I shouted at them. Misty was the first into action. She jumped over the ledge and onto the slide without a second thought, Octavian after her, and Nemo went shakily after him. Alex was last, and as he started sliding down, I could feel it disappearing behind him.

Once his feet hit the ground beside me, I fell to my knees. My bow dissolved next to me, and my pendant reappeared around my neck. I could see black spots floating in and out of vision.

Alex knelt down next to me. "Jaycee?" He asked as my vision blurred and the black spots merged together. My eyes slid closed and I passed out.

* * *

**Nemo's POV**

* * *

I was sitting next to Octavian on the plane ride back home. I stared at the snake bite on my right hand and closed my eyes slowly, hoping that I would at least get just a little time left before I died.

"Are you okay, Nemo?" Octavian asked me, and I nodded.

"Fine." I replied, and I fell asleep.

* * *

**Octavian's POV**

* * *

We landed and were picked up from the airport by a man with many eyes named Argus. We went to Camp Half-Blood and walked into the Big House, where we were immediately taken care of by a few Apollo demigods and Chiron.

"And you'll be staying in this cabin with me." Jaycee said, pointing to a bunk across hers. "I have some business to take care of." And Jaycee left me in the cabin without knowing who the hell these people were.

"Um, hi." I said and everyone just stared at me. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

**Nemo's POV**

* * *

I was called by Chiron to go to the attic to talk to Rachel, where she was currently sitting. Apparently Frank and Hazel told him about the unfinished prophecy and he thought that it would help if I went to talk to the Oracle.

"Hello, Nemo." Rachel said, and I nodded my hello.

"Spirit of Delphi, finish my prophecy." Nemo said, and Rachel's eyes turned bright green, and the Spirit of Delphi filled her soul.

_"The darkness and the messenger face certain doom, the messenger trapping himself within his own tomb.  
The magic, the gems, and the shape-shifter too, will return the fire to the sword sent by you.  
The sun and the magic will find their souls match, the pain from within will finally match.  
The future changed because of the past, but only one will find they don't last."_ Rachel finished the prophecy, and she slumped down in her chair. Before she could say a word, however, I ran back downstairs and ran out of the Big House, ignoring Chiron's protests. I ran past Percy and Annabeth, who asked what was wrong. I ran past Leo, Reyna, Frank, and Hazel, being concerned but ignoring them. I ran all the way to my cabin, grabbed my scepter, and disappeared into the woods. Why, you ask?

So I could die alone.

* * *

**Octavian's POV**

* * *

"Have you seen Nemo?" Jaycee asked, running into the Apollo cabin with Alex on her heels.

"I thought she was hanging out with you!" I replied, almost shouting, and I stood up, not quite sure what was going on.

"She's going to die because of her snake bite!" Jaycee said, and we ran out of the cabin.

* * *

We found Nemo next to Thalia's tree, up on Half-Blood Hill. She was a deathly shade of blue with crimson eyes, and her veins were all black.

"Nemo!" Jaycee exclaimed, and we ran up to her. I sat next to Nemo and stroked her hair.

"We have to find help." Alex said, and he ran towards the Big House as fast as he could.

"What can you do?" I asked Jaycee, who had a concentrating look on her face, and her eyes lit up as an idea sparked in her mind.

"Kiss her." Jaycee said.

"What?" I asked.

"Just do it!" Jaycee said. "And then you and her will go to New York, contact my friends, and get her to meet her father. Got it?" I nodded in agreement, and I looked back down at Nemo, who looked back into my eyes with those creepy (but beautiful) blood red eyes of her other form.

"Nemo, I just wish it didn't have to be exactly like this." I said, and she managed a weak smile.

"I know, Octavian." She said, caressing my cheek in a blue hand, and I shivered because of the coldness of it.

"I've also got other reasons for this." I said, smiling back at her, and her body shuddered and convulsed, writhing on the ground.

"Now, Octavian!" Jaycee was screaming. "Do it now!" Alex and Chiron had caught up to us, and I leaned forward to kiss Nemo, but Chiron held me back.

"Not yet, boy." He whispered so only I could hear it, and I nodded just slightly, so Jaycee and Alex couldn't hear me.

Suddenly, Nemo stopped her seizure. I put my hand underneath her nose and felt no breath. Her skin was a normal shade instead of her blue frost giant form, and I imagined that her eyes were also back to normal as well.

Jaycee started crying, and she hugged Alex tightly, who returned the hug and she cried in his shoulder.

"Let's give them some privacy." Chiron whispered to Jaycee and Alex, and they all went down the hill, leaving me alone with Nemo's now cold body.

I trailed my fingers over her lips and outlined her facial features.

"I think you're my soul mate, Nemo." I whispered into her lips. "And I think I can bring you back." And in one motion, I kissed her.

Her lips were cold, and it was a short kiss, but I was still mesmerized by the after-effects of it anyway.

Time passed slowly, even though it was only a minute. And then I felt a tug deep inside me. It was like my soul waking up from a long nap. Images flashed by in my head and I saw Nemo's life, from start to finish. As the images faded away, I was amazed. It was all so beautiful, and so was she. But she was even more striking and stunning now.

"Nemo." I whispered, stroking her hair back from her face, pleading and hoping she would wake up. "Nemo." I felt her hands moving, her eyelids were fluttering, and in one single movement, her eyes opened to reveal golden orbs with green specks. And, as if testing the movements of her body, she stood up, and danced around. After spotting me on the ground, she sat down next to me, and grabbed my face in both of her hands. Opening her mouth, she only said two words that summed up everything.

"I'm back."

* * *

**Ahhhhh! The story's finally over! So exciting!**

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**But anyways, the story will have a sequel. It will start to be posted after New Year's Eve, so we have enough time to actually write out the chapter in advance so petty things like writer's block doesn't happen to us and make us take super long to update!**

**The set up of the sequel is basically the same, except during most of the story (the entire middle section) Nemo and Jaycee will have completely different story plotlines (yes I said plotlines. Sue me!). The story starts and ends with the same 'story', and then it gets all weird at the end. And it will alternate, so one chapter will be about Nemo, and the next will be about Jaycee. It can be confusing, but don't think of it that way!**

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**So sayonara, and when December's over, look for our new story on this same profile, "The Light Shatters the Sun".**

**_;) ~*N.L*~_  
**


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